Former WWE wrestler Chris Nowinski comments on being named in the New York shooter’s letter, says the incident reminded him of the Benoit family tragedy

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

Chris Nowinski’s name is reportedly included in a letter left by the gunman who killed four people on Monday while intending to target the NFL offices in Manhattan, New York. The Athletic’s Mark Puelo asked Nowinski about being listed in Shane Tamura’s letter, in which he claimed he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). “Um … I’m still processing,” Nowinski said. Tamura shot and killed four people before killing himself on Monday.

Nowinski said the case made him think of Chris Benoit and others who killed others while battling CTE. “Yes, when I learned about the shooting and the CTE claim, I did think about Chris Benoit, Phillip Adams, Aaron Hernandez, and other cases that people aren’t aware of that involved homicide and often suicide,” Nowinski said. “This is something we’ve seen before in people who have had CTE, but it’s also been seen in a lot of people who don’t.” Read the full story with a subscription to The Athletic.

Powell’s POV: Nowinski, 46, retired from WWE after suffering through a year of post-concussion symptoms. He was a finalist on the first season of Tough Enough, and started on the WWE main roster in June 2002. His last match was in July 2003. He previously played football at Harvard University. Nowinski co-founded the Concussion Legacy Foundation. He has given head trauma seminars for WWE, AEW, and other promotions, and has also advised the NFL, the NFL Players Association, and other professional sports leagues.