Ray Lewis and Ray Lewis III (Photos via Getty Images and Ray Lewis III/Instagram)
Ray Lewis III died with a lethal mix of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine in his system, according to autopsy results that were released last year.

It turn out he was suffering from much more during his short time on Earth.

Almost a year after he died of an accidental overdose, the son of the former NFL star with the same name was found to have suffered from CTE, according to a new report from researchers.

The Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) verified in a news statement that Lewis III, 28, had Stage 2 CTE. Lewis was identified by Dr. Ann McKee, the director of the Boston University CTE Center, as having the brain ailment frequently linked to football.

According to the Concussion Legacy Foundation, “CTE can only be diagnosed after death,” which is why this information is coming out now. While they did not know it at the time, researchers “suspected he was battling CTE” after learning that years before his death, the former football player was having issues with his memory, “becoming extremely forgetful, and exhibited erratic, sporadic behavior and impulsivity.”

His mother, Tatyanna McCall, suspected he was battling the disease.

“Little did I know when I put my son in tackle football at age 5, I ran the risk of having to bury him 22 years later,” Tatyana McCall, Lewis’ mother, said, per the release. “I would have done something different now, knowing the risks. We need to wait until our babies are at least 14 to allow them to play tackle football. It also breaks my heart that you have to die to get a diagnosis for this disease.”

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, is a neurodegenerative illness that is strongly associated with recurrent head trauma. While a 2019 study by the same group found the odds of developing the disease could increase by up to 30 percent with each year of tackle football played, a 2023 Boston University study found the odds of developing CTE were closely related to the number and strength of hits to the head football players endure throughout their career.

Lewis III played collegiate football at Miami (his father’s alma mater), Coastal Carolina, and Virginia Union before joining the Wyoming Mustangs, an indoor football team. He is survived by his father, mother, three brothers, and two sisters.

“Stories like Ray Ray Lewis’ remind us why we need to accelerate efforts to prevent and treat CTE,” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, CLF co-founder and CEO. “We thank his family for their dedication to research, education, and making football safer. Through brain donation, grieving football families have shown us how to make the sport safer. Now, it is up to us all to act.”

Lewis also spoke on his late son’s diagnosis, saying, “We are proud to honor Ray Ray’s legacy by teaching our youth about football safety while sharing and supporting research on CTE.”

Ray Lewis III’s Autopsy Revealed Mix of Toxic Mix of Drugs That Shockingly Took His Life

Ray Lewis III (Photo via Ray Lewis III/Instagram)
Lewis III, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Lewis, died in June 2023 of an accidental overdose.

A lethal mix of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other drugs killed Lewis III. He was just 28.

An autopsy showed Lewis also had alcohol and alprazolam, the generic name for Xanax, in his system.