Jim Belushi Says Brother John Suffered From CTE: ‘If He Just Stayed With The Pot He’d Still Be Alive Today’

Jim Belushi believes his brother John’s time on the football field contributed to his death.

John Belushi was co-captain of his high school varsity football team and was an all-conference middle linebacker. Belushi even received a football scholarship to the University of Western Illinois.

“John was the middle linebacker,” his brother Jim said on 10 Questions with Kyle Brandt podcast. “Tough as nails. He had the most tackles. He was all-state, all-conference. He banged his head a lot. A lot.”

Belushi said back in his brother’s playing days, people weren’t as aware of head injuries caused by playing football. “Back then it’s like, ‘What’s a matter? You got your bell rung?’ And they’d put you right back in.”

Belushi then detailed a moment from his brother’s high school days where he knew his brother was suffering from a head injury. “I went into the utility room and he was hanging on to that cement sink where the laundry room was, and he was shaking. And I thought he was doing a gag and he fell,” Belushi recalled. “Boom. Ambulance. Pulling the tongue out of the mouth. Totally seizured.”

Jim Belushi said the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with his brother, but he has his suspicions. “I believe my brother was suffering from CTE himself,” he said. “And I believe a lot of the — usage had to do with that. I think if he just stayed with the pot he’d still be alive today. I don’t know how much cannabis would have helped CTE, but I just believe if he stayed with the pot he’d be okay.”

Listen above via 10 Questions with Kyle Brandt