Ralph Wenzel (guard)
American football player (1943–2012)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ralph Richard Wenzel (March 14, 1943 – June 18, 2012) was an American professional football player who was a guard for seven seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers.[1]
PositionGuard
BornMarch 13, 1943
San Mateo, California, U.S.
San Mateo, California, U.S.
DiedJune 18, 2012 (aged 69)
San Mateo, California, U.S.
San Mateo, California, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
| No. 62, 54 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Guard | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | March 13, 1943 San Mateo, California, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died | June 18, 2012 (aged 69) San Mateo, California, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Cubberley (Palo Alto, California) | ||||||||
| College |
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| NFL draft | 1966: 11th round, 168th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Early onset of dementia
Wenzel's name gained notoriety in late 2009, when Wenzel's wife, Dr. Eleanor Perfetto, testified on Wenzel's dementia.[2] Perfetto testified that Wenzel's football career probably had a causal effect with his dementia.
Wenzel was later confirmed to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy(CTE).[3] He is one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed after death with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is caused by repeated hits to the head.[4][5]
