Wes Bender

Wesley Todd Bender (August 2, 1970 – March 5, 2018) was an American football running back in the National Football League who played for the Los Angeles Raiders and New Orleans Saints.^[3] He played college football for the USC Trojans.

Wes Bender

Personal information
Born:	(1970-08-02)August 2, 1970 Van Nuys, California
Died:	March 5, 2018(2018-03-05) (aged 47)
Height:	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:	242 lb (110 kg)
Career information
High school:	Burroughs (Burbank, California)[1]
College:	USC
Position:	Running back
Undrafted:	1993
Career history
[2] Kansas City Chiefs (1993) Los Angeles Raiders (1994) Frankfurt Galaxy (1996) Oakland Raiders (1996)* New Orleans Saints (1997)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Bender died on March 5, 2018.^[4] He was one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed after death with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), caused by repeated hits to the head.^[5][6] He was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills).^[7]

References

1. Riggio, Jim (March 6, 2018). "Former Burroughs Football Star Wes Bender Dies at 47".
2. Saints, 1997 Media Guide. p. 103. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
3. SPRINGER, STEVE (October 27, 1994). "PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAIDERS : Bender Called Up; Bunch Waived" – via LA Times.
4. Riggio, Jim (March 6, 2018). "Former Burroughs Football Star Wes Bender Dies at 47".
5. "The driving force behind Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)". Concussion Legacy Foundation. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
6. Ken Belson and Benjamin Mueller (June 20, 2023). "Collective Force of Head Hits, Not Just the Number of Them, Increases Odds of C.T.E. The largest study of chronic traumatic encephalopathy to date found that the cumulative force of head hits absorbed by players in their careers is the best predictor of future brain disease". The New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
7. Wesley Todd Bender