The family of National Football League Hall of Fame member Frank Gifford revealed Wednesday the former New York Giants star was suffering from concussion-related brain disease before his death in August at the age of 84.

A postmortem on Gifford, who died suddenly from natural causes on August 9 at his home in Connecticut, revealed evidence of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), his family said.

Gifford, who played in five NFL championships in the 1950s and 60s, became a beloved figure amongst US sports fans after turning to broadcasting following his career.

He was part of ABC television's "Monday Night Football" commentary team in the 1970s, often appearing with legendary broadcaster Howard Cosell and Don Meredith.

Gifford's family said in a statement Wednesday they had disclosed the results of the postmortem in order to heighten awareness of player safety, an ongoing issue for the NFL after mounting concern over the long-term brain injuries suffered by players.

In April, the NFL agreed to settle a lawsuit and pay $765 million to about 5,000 former players over health claims.

"After losing our beloved husband and father, Frank Gifford, we as a family made the difficult decision to have his brain studied in hopes of contributing to the advancement of medical research concerning the link between football and traumatic brain injury," the Gifford family statement read.

"We decided to disclose our loved one's condition to honor Frank's legacy of promoting player safety dating back to his involvement in the formation of the NFL Players Association in the 1950s.

"His entire adult life Frank was a champion for others, but especially for those without the means or platform to have their voices heard.

"He was a man who loved the National Football League until the day he passed, and one who recognized that it was -- and will continue to be -- the players who elevated this sport to its singular stature in American society."

CTE is believed to be caused by head trauma that can result in memory loss, dementia and depression.
Source: AFP