The Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF)

The Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Boston. It was founded in 2007 by Robert Cantu, MD, and Chris Nowinski, PhD to advance the study, treatment and prevention of the effects of brain trauma in athletes, Veterans and other at-risk groups. CLF is a collaborator with the Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center and the Boston VA Healthcare System on the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank. The Brain Bank published the first military case series on CTE, houses 70% of the world’s CTE cases, and has revolutionized our understanding of TBI and CTE. The Concussion Legacy Foundation is accelerating research on TBI, CTE and PTSD in military Veterans through Project Enlist.

The Concussion Legacy Foundation's mission is to support athletes, Veterans, and all affected by concussions and CTE; achieve smarter sports and safer athletes through education and innovation; and to End CTE through prevention and research.

The Concussion Legacy Foundation’s co-founders Chris Nowinski, PhD, and Robert Cantu, MD met when Chris, a former college football player and professional wrestler, was seeking treatment for severe Post-Concussion Syndrome. Dr. Cantu changed everything Chris thought he knew about concussions, and the pair set a goal to bring this information to the public and change how concussions were understood and handled in sports. Along the way, they became focused on the neurodegenerative disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), and Chris began to recruit the brains of former NFL players, and eventually other athletes and military Veterans, for research. CLF’s research collaborations with the Boston University CTE Center and the Boston VA Healthcare System, and its education and awareness efforts, have led to major research breakthroughs and policy changes that are making athletes and military service members safer. The Foundation’s work has been featured in the New York Times, 60 Minutes, Today Show, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, BBC, PBS, HBO Real Sports and many other news and media outlets.