Football Greats - Dan Marino

Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. was born in Pittsburgh in 1961 and is known as the long time quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. Through his career, he has, at some point, held most every record that is noteworthy in regards to passing and is noted as one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.

He began his career by excelling at high school football and continued to play for the University of Pittsburgh from 1979 to 1982, leading his team to victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl in 1982. The following year, the team lost to SMU in the Cotton Bowl. Due to ending his college career on a sour note (as well as unsubstantial rumors of drug abuse), his status in the 1983 NFL draft was less than savory. Five other quarterbacks (including Jim Kelly and John Elway) were picked before Marino was finally taken by Don Shula of the Miami Dolphins, placing him as the 27th pick overall.

As the previous season’s AFC Champion, the Dolphins made a great starting point for Marino, where he could immediately do well with the support of a great team. He led Miami to achieve the division title five times from 1983 to 1994, missing the 1993 season due to tearing his Achilles Tendon and being unable to play in every game of the season.

The 1984 season proved to be Marino’s best, with 48 touchdown passes and a total of 5,084 yards, both records that held fast until Peyton Manning threw his 49th touchdown pass in the 2004 football season. That year, the Dolphins scored a record 70 touchdowns with a 14-2 season record and progressed to Superbowl XIX. Though they lost, the team remained strong, posting a 12-4 season in 1985.

Marino played a total of 17 seasons, from 1983 to 1999, when the aging quarterback finally retired, having spent his entire professional football career with the Miami Dolphins. In 1994, he earned the title of Comeback Player of the Year, due to his return from the season ending Achilles Tendon injury, only to star in the ProBowl. He played nine ProBowls through the years, was and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

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