Former Pro Bowl guard Conrad Dobler, once dubbed the NFL's "dirtiest player," had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the time of his death in 2023, his family announced through the Concussion Legacy Foundation on Wednesday.
Dobler was diagnosed with Stage 3 CTE by researchers at the Boston University CTE Center. CTE is a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated blows to the head that can only be diagnosed after death. Stage 4 is the most severe diagnosis.
"My dad loved the game of football, but his love for the game took a toll on his body, his mind, and his relationships," Erin Lewin, Dobler's daughter, said in a statement. "His CTE diagnosis provides a sense of closure in terms of justifying his neurological and behavioral issues that took a toll not only on him but on all of us who loved and cared for him. We are relieved to have a definitive answer and proud to honor his wish to go public with the findings to raise awareness for the risks of repetitive head trauma and for the research being done at Boston University."
In 2010 when he was 59, Dobler had pledged to donate his brain to the BU CTE Center. According to the news release, Dobler had a subtype of the disease called cortical sparing CTE, which was discovered in 2024 and is marked by "slightly less severe cognitive symptoms, but earlier onset of behavioral symptoms."
Dobler died on Feb. 13, 2023, at the age of 73. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection in a 10-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals (1972-77), New Orleans Saints (1978-79) and Buffalo Bills (1980-81).
Sports Illustrated called Dobler "Pro Football's Dirtiest Player" in a July 25, 1977, cover story. Dobler even titled his autobiography "They Call Me Dirty."
Dobler was the left guard on a Cardinals offensive line that included Hall of Famer Dan Dierdorf.
"Conrad started as my teammate and ultimately became my brother," Dierdorf said in a statement. "It broke my heart to watch him struggle and slowly slip away. He was a force of nature... until he wasn't."
