Tedy Bruschi, 46, is ‘recovering well’ after suffering his second stroke since 2005
Tedy Brushi, the former New England Patriots linebacker and current ESPN commentator, is recovering after suffering a stroke on Thursday – his second in the last 14 years.
‘Yesterday afternoon, Tedy had a stroke, known as a TIA [Transient Ischemic Attack],’ read the statement issued by his family on Friday. ‘He recognized his warning signs immediately: arm weakness, face drooping and speech difficulties. Tedy is recovering well. Tedy and his family thank you for your ongoing encouragement, and kindly ask for privacy at this time.’
Bruschi, 46, previously suffered a stroke in 2005 – three days after playing in New England’s Super Bowl XXXIX win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
After announcing he would step away from football, Bruschi returned in October of the following season and may have had his best year as a pro, recording a team-high 112 tackles.
‘I had 366 tackles in the NFL as a stroke survivor,’ he said during his retirement speech. ‘And I’m very proud of that.’
According to the Mayo Clinic website, a TIA is ‘like a stroke, producing similar symptoms, but usually lasting only a few minutes and causing no permanent damage.
Bruschi, a Pro Bowl selection in 2004, took up distance running after retiring in 2008 and has completed the Boston Marathon three times – most recently back in April. He even started a running club called Tedy’s Team, which raises funds and awareness for the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association
After retiring from the NFL, Bruschi became an ESPN analyst. According to multiple reports, he accepted a promotion and will be a co-host for ‘Sunday NFL Countdown’ alongside former teammate Randy Moss. In this photo, he is pictured alongside Patriots owner Robert Kraft
‘Often called a ministroke, a transient ischemic attack may be a warning,’ reads the article on the May Clinic website. ‘About 1 in 3 people who have a transient ischemic attack will eventually have a stroke, with about half occurring within a year after the transient ischemic attack.
‘A transient ischemic attack can serve as both a warning and an opportunity — a warning of an impending stroke and an opportunity to take steps to prevent it.’
While some former NFL players have fallen out of shape in retirement, Bruschi, a Pro Bowl selection in 2004, took up distance running and has completed the Boston Marathon three times – most recently back in April.
Drafted as a defensive end out of the University of Arizona in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft and quickly converted to linebacker, where he became one of the team’s most reliable players. Later he became a defensive captain and ultimately retired in 2008, interestingly enough, without ever hiring an agent
He even started a running club called Tedy’s Team, which raises funds and awareness for the American Stroke Association.
‘This is a Super Bowl ring right here,’ Bruschi, a three-time Super Bowl champion, told Boston’s WBZ-TV in April after running the marathon. ‘I put it right up there with them because of everything that has to go with this. Boston is fantastic with this race, and my team inspired me to run again.
‘Three rings, three medals, and I’m out.
‘I trained for eight-second bursts for decades, so I didn’t know what I was doing my first couple of times. You just grind,’ Bruschi continued. ‘This third time around, I felt a lot more comfortable and did a lot more training. I put a lot into it.’
After retiring from the NFL, Bruschi became an ESPN analyst. According to multiple reports, he accepted a promotion and will be a co-host for ‘Sunday NFL Countdown’ alongside former teammate Randy Moss.
Drafted as a defensive end out of the University of Arizona in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft and quickly converted to linebacker, where he became one of the team’s most reliable players.
Later he became a defensive captain and ultimately retired in 2008, interestingly enough, without ever hiring an agent.
Bruschi, 46, previously suffered a stroke in 2005 – three days after playing in New England’s Super Bowl XXXIX win over the Philadelphia Eagles. After announcing he would step away from football, Bruschi returned in October of the following season and may have had his best year as a pro, recording a team-high 112 tackles. ‘I had 366 tackles in the NFL as a stroke survivor,’ he said during his retirement speech. ‘And I’m very proud of that’