Former Miami Dolphins Great Mark Duper Confirms He's Tested Positive for Brain Disease CTE

Former Miami Dolphins star Mark Duper confirmed to NBC 6 that he has tested positive for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, making him the latest retired NFL player to come down with the concussion-related brain disease.

Duper, 54, said he has been having headaches and his body hurts all the time, so he went to UCLA to get tested.

Doctors told him Friday afternoon the tests were positive for CTE, a degenerative brain disease found in athletes with a history of head trauama. Its symptoms can include depression and memory loss.

“The way I look at it, I know what I’m dealing with,” Duper said Friday night.

The news follows the revelation earlier this week that Hall of Famers Tony Dorsett and Joe DeLamielleure and former All-Pro Leonard Marshall have tested positive for signs of CTE.

Duper caught 511 passes during his 11 seasons with the Dolphins, and holds the team record for career receiving yards with 8,869.

The three-time Pro Bowler retired after the 1992 season and was inducted into the Dolphin Honor Roll in 2003.

Duper, who beat renal cancer almost two years ago, said his spirits are good.

“You gotta stay positive,” he said. “What else can you do?”

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