With the news of Chicago Bear Gaines Adams’ passing this week, there has been a wide array of speculation as to what caused him to go into cardiac arrest. Yesterday, however, some of those rumors generated were put to rest by an autopsy report which discovered Adams had an enlarged heart. As ESPN reported earlier today,  an enlarged heart is not abnormal for athletes, nor is it the sure reason why Adams went into cardiac arrest. However, it has raised other issues in regard to medical exams on professional athletes. An enlarged heart is not a condition that directly causes a person to go into cardiac arrest, but it can be a sign or symptom of other very serious heart/health conditions.

This raises some interesting questions: If the NFL is so concerned about player health and insists on extensive annual medical examinations, how was Adams’ condition not found sooner? If it was found sooner, could it have saved his life? Did the NFL somehow miss performing an EKG on Adams upon entering the NFL (standard procedure)? If so, are they at fault to some extent in this situation for not finding this condition sooner? Should athlete examinations undergo a reform to make sure such conditions are not overlooked in the future?

Gaines Adams’ full autopsy and toxicology report will be made available within the next couple of months. Until then, we can only continue to speculate as outsiders.

Our hearts go out to Gaines Adams and his loved ones in this time of sorrow. He was a gifted athlete whose potential had not yet peaked, and a dedicated family-man that will truly be missed.

- Andrew Teunis, Director of Business Development – ISPA