Caspar Whitney named the first All-American football team in 1889, so while All-Americans are members of an exclusive club each year, a large number have become members over the years that I do not know or have not given attention.
There may be more. In my book "The Coach Who Strangled the Bulldog: How Harvard's Percy Haughton Beat Yale and Reinvented Football," I posit that Wendell may have been a victim of CTE. His head-first running style could have been the cause. (He was known as "The Human Bullet.") But accounts of his final days are consistent with those we read about today's victims. Of course, we'll never really know.
There may be more. In my book "The Coach Who Strangled the Bulldog: How Harvard's Percy Haughton Beat Yale and Reinvented Football," I posit that Wendell may have been a victim of CTE. His head-first running style could have been the cause. (He was known as "The Human Bullet.") But accounts of his final days are consistent with those we read about today's victims. Of course, we'll never really know.
Probsbly many more like him, especially since they seldom left the game after having their bells rung.