JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Mark Super Duper, a former Miami Dolphins wide receiver, is facing felony child abuse charges for a fight with his teen son in his Jacksonville home.
According to police, the fight on Tuesday started over an argument about the teen and his recent ex-girlfriend.
Duper is accused of punching the victim, who Action News has learned is 17-years-old, in the face and body slamming him several times, causing the boy to lose consciousness.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office report says witnesses told investigators that the fighting went on for 10 minutes before the victim left the house.
Police then say the victim returned to the home to get a jacket, at which point Mark Duper and the victim began fighting again.
The police report says Duper threw the teen on the bed and began repeatedly hitting him in the head and face, causing the boy to lose consciousness again.
After regaining consciousness, the report says, the teen grabbed his bicycle and left. Police say while outside he pushed his bike into Duper’s car in anger.
The fight re-engaged.
Police say Duper once again punched the teen in the face, causing him to fall off his bike. Duper then held him down and choked him this time.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office report says the victim eventually left the residence, but not before Duper allegedly threatened to kill him.
When officers arrested Duper, he reportedly told them the boy had attacked Duper's father several times and claimed he was just defending himself.
Hugh Green, a family friend and also former NFL player, was there at the time with his kids and supported that statement. Green says he eventually helped separate the father and son during the fight.
Action News spoke with Green over the phone from his home in Mississippi where he said the teen “thought he was going to whip his father and Mark did what he did, he defended himself."
Green also denies seeing Duper ever punch the teen or the teen lose consciousness.
Duper bonded out of the Duval County jail Thursday afternoon.
The Department of Children and Families is investigating this case.
“This sort of thing is all too common unfortunately. We want to remind all families there is help available in our community so it doesn't get this far, because it shouldn't,” said DCF spokesman John Harrell.
