text: The total incidence of dementia from all causes in people over 85 is 25%.  It is much lower in people who are younger.  From the numbers available the minimum incidence of CTE in ex-NFL players is 9-10% over all age groups (that is assuming that no other cases of CTE are found in any more NFL players, not the most likely event).
  So the most optimistic reading of numbers still says that this is a huge problem for NFL players and for younger players who have sustained less injury.  Further study and more data can not make this look only better, and most probably only worse.
  Bad news for football players.