They were roommates and teammates at Harvard, bound by their love of football and each other. Then the game — and the debate over its safety — took its toll. This Deep Reads episode is part of a collection of occasional bonus stories from “Post Reports.”

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This story is part of a collection of occasional bonus episodes you’ll be hearing from “Post Reports.” We’re calling these stories “Deep Reads,” and they’re part of The Post’s commitment to immersive and narrative journalism.

Today’s story was written by sports writer Kent Babb, and read by Michael Satow for Noa: News Over Audio, an app offering curated audio articles.

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