Tennessee
Ex-Tennessee Titans star had CTE at time of death, researchers confirm
Former Tennessee Titans star Frank Wycheck had stage III CTE when he died at age 52 at his home in Tennessee on Dec. 9, 2023, his family said Thursday.
CTE – chronic traumatic encephalopathy – is a degenerative brain disorder that happens due to repeated head impacts, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Wycheck, an 11-year NFL veteran tight end, died after an apparent fall at his home in Chattanooga. His brain was studied by researchers at Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, which confirmed he had stage III CTE, one below stage IV, the most severe diagnosis.
“We witnessed our father becoming increasingly isolated and experiencing drastic mood swings. He became more impulsive, and often inconsistent and undependable,” Wycheck’s daughter, Deanna Wycheck Szabo, said in a statement. “Now in hindsight, I understand that he was suffering from the symptoms of CTE due to the repeated trauma his brain and body endured over 11 seasons in the NFL.”
The Wycheck family issued support for continued research and education around CTE for NFL players and their families.
“Our family is grateful to learn of his confirmed CTE diagnosis in hopes to continue our father’s desire to bring awareness, increased intervention, education, and support for NFL alumni and their families related to CTE,” Wycheck Szabo said. “Our hope is that NFL alumni, who believe they are suffering from CTE, will be given the much-needed resources and guidance prior to their symptoms reaching a debilitating state. With on-going CTE research and diagnosis’, we hope future NFL alumni and families will be explicitly given an outline and plan of action in receiving care and treatment.”
Prior to his death, Wycheck was also an advocate for CTE research, even noting he believed he suffered from the disease.
“Some people have heads made of concrete, and it doesn’t really affect some of those guys,” he told researchers in 2017, per AP. “But CTE is real. I know I’m suffering through it, and it’s been a struggle and I feel for all the guys out there that are going through this.”
Wycheck was a three-time NFL Pro Bowl selection across 11 seasons for the Titans, Houston Oilers and Washington. He finished his NFL career with 505 receptions for 5,126 yards and 28 touchdowns in 155 games, including 135 starts.
The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 3, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 3 drawing
05-09-29-47-57, Mega Ball: 16
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from July 3 drawing
Morning: 7-0-6, Wild: 8
Midday: 8-9-9, Wild: 7
Evening: 3-6-1, Wild: 4
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from July 3 drawing
Morning: 2-5-7-4, Wild: 1
Midday: 3-7-7-4, Wild: 3
Evening: 1-4-3-6, Wild: 5
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from July 3 drawing
09-12-23-27-33
Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Tennessee Cash numbers from July 3 drawing
04-13-18-27-35, Bonus: 02
Check Tennessee Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 3 drawing
07-08-24-42-47, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:
Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.
When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
- Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — If Middle Tennessee’s summer heat has you questioning every life decision made after noon, these local ice cream shops offer the sweetest escape.
As dangerous heat grips Middle Tennessee, here’s a roundup of the region’s best spots for handcrafted scoops, towering sundaes and frozen treats made to beat the summer sizzle.
Mike’s is a late-night go-to for sweet cravings, known for its homemade waffle cones — the smell alone draws people in — and dozens of rotating flavors like espresso shake, banana pudding and strawberry cheesecake.
A Middle Tennessee institution, Hattie Jane’s churns small-batch ice cream made with Tennessee dairy. Southern-inspired flavors such as nana puddin’, brown butter pecan and strawberry jam have made it a regional favorite.
With more than 70 flavors — including a rotating “Sweet 16” lineup — Sweethaven has quickly earned its place on Franklin’s Main Street. Popular picks include fresh strawberry, chocolate raspberry truffle and spicy mango. Its charming location makes it an easy stop after shopping or dinner.
A Nashville landmark since 1951, Bobbie’s Dairy Dip keeps it classic with chocolate-dipped soft serve, old-school milkshakes and an ice cream-and-burger combo locals swear by. Pup cups are available for four-legged regulars.
Sarabhas is the spot for adventurous palates. Indian-inspired flavors, chai pairings and kulfi-inspired creations set this shop apart. Popular flavors include mango, Indian coffee and chai spice.
Conecept is Instagram-worthy without sacrificing substance. Creative seasonal flavors, thick milkshakes and loaded specialty cones keep locals coming back. Popular flavors include blueberry and vanilla.
This neighborhood favorite serves everything from ice cream to floats in a family-friendly setting. Standout flavors include bunny tracks, mango ice cream with chamoy and chocolate peanut butter.
Gelato lovers, this one’s for you. GelatoPazzo serves authentic Italian-style gelato with rich pistachio, stracciatella and seasonal fruit flavors. Locals consistently praise the shop’s warm, welcoming atmosphere.
Assorted ice cream flavors. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Can’t choose between savory and sweet? Fryce Cream solves that. The shop pairs fries with soft-serve ice cream, loaded sundaes and sweet-and-salty combinations. The fries-and-gelato dip combo is a must-try, according to regulars.
Equal parts coffee shop and creamery, Cream & Bean features homemade coffee and ice cream flavors in a relaxed neighborhood setting.
A fast favorite in Franklin’s Cool Springs area, Handel’s makes its ice cream fresh daily with a lineup of more than 40 flavors. Fan favorites include Chocoholic Chunk, Monkey Business and Graham Central Station.
Visitors can watch staff hand-craft Mackinac Island-style fudge right in the shop. Freshly made waffle cones, rich ice cream flavors and an old-fashioned candy shop atmosphere have made Kilwins a longtime draw for locals and tourists alike.
RELATED COVERAGE | 6 Nashville-area coffee trucks worth taking a sip at this summer
LaFollette fireworks disaster killed four in 1997
A shipping container storing fireworks exploded in LaFollette in June 1997.
Watching fireworks light up the sky with dazzling colors and configurations is such a thrill, we often forget that making those shows happen requires literally playing with fire.
Here in East Tennessee, we’ve had our share of fireworks disasters.
The smallest mistake can set off a monster chain reaction. It’s the tragic side of a favorite pastime that’s claimed lives and livelihoods through the years.
Benton fireworks factory explodes
Windows shattered and photos fell from the walls in nearby houses when an explosion destroyed an illegal fireworks factory in Benton in 1983. The boom was heard as far away as Cleveland, about 15 miles away, the Knoxville News-Sentinel reported May 27, 1983.
Eleven people died in the explosion.
“It’s the worst thing I’ve seen since Vietnam,” Polk County Sheriff Frank Payne said at the time. “What happened was like a direct hit by a 500-pound bomb.”
The operation fronted as Webb’s Bait Farm, but really, illegal M-100 and M-80 fireworks were being produced at the site, the News-Sentinel reported. A month later, federal investigators called it the largest illegal fireworks factory ever identified in the U.S.
Owner Dan Webb, whose mother, brother and uncle were among those killed in the explosion, was sentenced in 1984 to 10 years in prison for manufacturing explosives without a license.
Pyro Shows depot blast kills four
A shipping container full of fireworks exploded at a popular pyrotechnics company’s storage facility in LaFollette June 5, 1997.
“At first, I thought it was an airplane crash. It rumbled five or 10 seconds, and then there was a massive explosion,” Campbell County Sheriff Ron McClellan told the News-Sentinel afterward.
The disaster at the Pyro Shows depot damaged nearby homes and businesses, along with a church. Four people were killed, all employees: engaged high school sweethearts Tim Petree and Allison Hale; Gretchen Wells, who, along with Hale, had been on the job for less than a week; and Luther Seiber, Caryville vice mayor and city councilman.
They had been getting fireworks ready and loading them for use at the upcoming July 4 shows.
Federal agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms ruled out negligence by Pyro Shows.
Through the years, Pyro Shows has had a hand in Boomsday – once a Knoxville Labor Day tradition – as well as fireworks at Smokies and University of Tennessee games.
Stowers Superstore goes up in flames
When a fire began at Stowers Superstore on July 6, 2014, fireworks began to shoot off from the site. Nearby Interstate 75 was closed in both directions as the explosives launched unpredictably.
Four or five people were in the Caryville store but managed to get out safely. The Knoxville News-Sentinel reported on July 8 that “the building apparently was constructed before current fire codes required sprinkler systems.”
The store was a total loss, with crews delayed by Fourth of July traffic. Fireworks were already shooting off and the entire building was ablaze when the firefighters arrived. In total, 65 firefighters from Campbell, Scott and Anderson counties fought the fire for around three hours.
Although the store was destroyed, its “attractions,” including a rocket, Ferris wheel and castle, remained on the lot, still visible from the highway.
Hayden Dunbar Evans is the storyteller reporter. Email: hayden.dunbar@knoxnews.com. Instagram: @knoxstoryteller.
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