Chris Eitzmann

Christopher John Eitzmann (April 1, 1977 – December 29, 2021) was an American professional football tight end. He played college football at Harvard and three seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New England Patriots and two seasons for the Cleveland Browns.

Early life and college Born in Belleville, Kansas, Eitzmann grew up on a farm in Hardy, Nebraska. Eitzmann graduated from Chester-Hubbell-Byron High School, a school with only 50 students where he played on an eight-man football team in addition to basketball and track. Eitzmann then signed with the Patriots active roster on October 21 and appeared in five games with one start before being placed on injured reserve on December 1. The Browns placed Eitzmann on Injured-Reserve on September 1, 2002.

Post-football career Eitzmann moved to Lincoln, Nebraska and became a financial advisor after retiring from football. In 2007, he completed his M.B.A. at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

Eitzmann was found dead of alcohol poisoning in December 2021 at age 44. He had been suffering from CTE in the last years of his life. He was one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed after death with this disease, which is caused by repeated hits to the head.