Chris Brymer: From USC to NFL - to homeless and in jail

VICTORVILLE, Calif. (KABC) -- Chris Brymer was once a star football player for the University of Southern California who had a brief stint with the Dallas Cowboys. That was 16 years ago.

Eyewitness News found Chris Brymer homeless in Apple Valley in 2016. Since we last caught up with him, he was arrested and jailed.

So what contributed to the fall from sports star to homelessness?

His family believes it has to do with the number of concussions and head injuries he suffered while playing football.

The result can be chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, which starts with disorientation, dizziness, and headaches. It can then progress to memory loss and erratic behavior.

"I never drink alcohol. These people, live on Earth, but I live on a different planet," Chris Brymer explained to a judge.

MORE: USC legend Anthony Davis hopes to help Chris Brymer get CTE evaluation

Chris Brymer was arrested and jailed before Christmas after authorities found him outside an AMPM store in Apple Valley with three misdemeanor warrants.

"You deal with homeless people on a regular basis and most are out begging for money, asking for money," explained Susie Subia, the manager of the AMPM. "Chris has never asked us for anything."

Chris Brymer found a wealth of success, even more than he did while playing football, when he started a booming real estate company.

But despite all his success, his wife filed for divorce 11 years ago after Chris Brymer started exhibiting destructive behavior.

"In my opinion, true CTE. I remember the first time I saw the definition. I couldn't believe it. It was like they wrote every single line item about him," Chris Brymer's ex-wife Melissa Brymer said.

Last month a psychologist interviewed Chris Brymer in prison. They declared he was mentally incompetent to stand trial and criminal proceedings were suspended.

MORE: Did brain damage lead USC football star Chris Brymer to homelessness?

"I wish they would help him with medicine. He has this from football, being hit in the head and stuff. It's just sad," said April Anderson, an employee at the AMPM.

Because of overcrowding in hospitals that serve the mentally ill, the length of time to get a bed for Chris Brymer was longer than the jail time associated with his misdemeanors.

On Wednesday, a judge determined serving 76 of his 90 day sentence was enough. Chris Brymer was scheduled to be released from jail Wednesday evening.

"There wasn't a bed available at the hospital that he was ordered to," explained Jill Gregory, the deputy district attorney in San Bernardino County. "Even if he were ordered there and got up there tomorrow there's not necessarily any meaningful treatment or opportunity for treatment in that amount of time."

Chris Brymer was set to be released to his mother who was in court with him. Before the proceeding, Chris Brymer told his attorney that was not his mother.

A vicious cycle has developed for the Brymer family. His parents said they'll take their son home and he'll tell them he doesn't have a problem.

His family said he'll explain to them that he doesn't need to go to a doctor. He also won't even admit that he ever played football.