Former Boston Bruins enforcer Lyndon Byers diagnosed with stage 3 CTE
Beloved Boston radio personality played 10 seasons in the NHL, died at age 61 in 2025
(Boston) – The family of former Boston Bruins enforcer Lyndon Byers is releasing the results of his post-mortem brain tissue analysis today through the Concussion & CTE Foundation to raise awareness of CTE in hockey to help prevent other athletes and families from suffering. Byers’ family donated his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at the Boston University CTE Center after he died in 2025 at age 61. Researchers there diagnosed Byers with stage 3 (of 4) chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
“It was hard to see his personality change so dramatically,” said Anne Byers, Lyndon’s wife of 18 years. “He was so fun and vibrant but towards the end it got to the point where didn’t want to socialize or even leave the house. He battled severe depression, had episodes of hallucinations, and his struggles with short-term memory loss made it difficult for him to navigate the day on his own. I will do whatever I can to make sure nobody else has to watch their loved one deteriorate like that.”
Byers played 10 seasons in the NHL, nine in Boston and one in San Jose. He was known for his rugged, rough style, playing in the Stanley Cup Final in 1988 and 1990. With 959 penalty minutes for the Bruins from 1983-92, Byers ranks 11th on their all-time list. After his playing career ended, Byers became a beloved local radio personality in Boston, joining the Greg Hill Show on WAAF for nearly 25 years. His role on air became challenging as his cognitive symptoms intensified.
“With stage 3 disease like Lyndon Byers had, individuals almost always report cognitive symptoms, and 50% develop dementia,” said Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center and chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System. “We thank the Byers family for this contribution to research, which brings us closer to our goal of diagnosing CTE during life and develop effective treatments for those still living.”
The latest public data shows 19 of 20 NHL players studied at the Boston University CTE Center, including Bobby Hull, Ralph Backstrom, Stan Mikita, Bob Probert, and Derek Boogaard have had CTE. Those diagnoses were reported in a December 2024 BU study that found the odds of developing CTE increased by 34% for each year of hockey played.
Despite the research, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman still refuses to acknowledge the link between playing in the NHL and developing CTE.
“The NHL can do better to protect its players’ safety,” said Anne Byers. “Athletes deserve to know what head injuries can do so they can make informed decisions about their bodies and work in an environment that supports their health first.”
“I got to known Lyndon Byers 25 years ago when he explored becoming a professional wrestler after his NHL career and we were both enrolled at Killer Kowalski’s Institute of Professional Wrestling,” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, Concussion & CTE Foundation CEO. “He was a great guy who was always supportive of our CTE research, and I’m devastated to learn how difficult his final years were.”
Lyndon Byers was known for his big heart and work in the community contributing to several charitable causes, including his support for first responders and military service members. During his life he pledged to donate his brain to the Concussion & CTE Foundation after his passing to help advance scientific understanding of the long-term effects of repetitive impacts in hockey players and to help make the game safer.
Hockey players interested in joining clinical research opportunities or pledging to donate their brains can sign up for the Concussion & CTE Foundation Research registry here: ConcussionAndCTE.org/research.