Most Former NFL Players Show Heart Plaque
A study of 200 retired players found many had silent coronary plaque, with linemen showing the most buildup.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Heart Disease
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A study of 200 former NFL players found that 86% had coronary plaque, with imaging showing obstructive disease in 42% of participants. Researchers presented the findings as a poster at the AHA Scientific Sessions 2026 in Chicago, highlighting heart-disease risk in retired professional athletes, particularly linemen.
Why it matters
Most participants reported few or no symptoms, and only 12% had a known coronary artery disease diagnosis before the scan, suggesting silent disease may be common in this group. The findings add to a growing focus on cardiovascular screening for former athletes, whose size, weight and past training loads may affect their heart health long after their playing careers end.
This is an imaging study of 200 former NFL players with a median age of 57 and a median BMI of 31, using coronary CT angiography with AI-based plaque analysis. Nearly 80% of the detected plaque was noncalcified, and offensive and defensive linemen, who made up about one quarter of the study population, showed more plaque and more severe blockages than players at other positions.
The players
American Heart Association (AHA)
The AHA is a leading U.S. nonprofit focused on cardiovascular health, research and prevention, and it hosts the annual AHA Scientific Sessions where heart research is presented.
HeartFlow
HeartFlow is a company whose AI software analyzes coronary CT angiography images to assess coronary artery plaque and blood flow.
The details
Coronary CT angiography creates detailed images of the arteries that supply the heart, and HeartFlow's AI analysis was used to identify and characterize plaque buildup along those vessels. Plaque is a mix of fat, cholesterol and other material that can narrow arteries over time, and noncalcified plaque, the softer type that made up nearly 80% of what was found here, is generally considered less stable than calcified plaque. Linemen tended to be heavier with a higher body mass index than players at other positions, which may help explain their greater plaque burden.
Timeline
2026: Findings presented as a poster at AHA Scientific Sessions 2026 in Chicago
Health Landscape
Coronary CT angiography with AI plaque analysis is increasingly used to detect coronary artery disease before symptoms appear, a shift from relying primarily on symptom-based diagnosis. This study adds to evidence that a high share of former professional athletes may carry significant silent coronary plaque, a population that has received less attention than the general public in prevention research.
Former athletes, and anyone with a history of high-contact or high-weight sports, may find it worth raising coronary artery calcium or CT angiography questions with a physician, particularly if they have no known heart diagnosis. Because many participants had no symptoms, a conversation with a doctor about cholesterol testing and heart-risk assessment is a reasonable step.
The takeaway
Many former NFL players in this study had coronary plaque without symptoms, which underscores the value of heart-risk conversations regardless of past fitness. Anyone with concerns about their cardiovascular health should discuss screening options and cholesterol management with their physician.
Further reading
For more on how doctors identify and manage these conditions, explore our Heart Disease coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Medscape.
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