Dan Marino – The Legendary Quarterback & Most Prolific Leader of the Miami Dolphins
With seventeen seasons under his belt, Dan Marino had the opportunity to produce one of the most impressive quarterbacking careers in the league's history, having an average of 24 touchdown passes per season. His gameplay was defined by precision passing that seamlessly led his team into scoring position.
Born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. (September 15, 1961) established himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, alongside peers such as Joe Montana, Joe Namath, and Johnny Unitas. Unlike most quarterbacks who would join the NFL at the drop of a hat, Marino stayed in college to play for the University of Pittsburg.
Marino is known for dominating college football with clinical precision. In his first three years in college, Pittsburg had an 11-1 record and recorded a victory in the 1982 Sugar Bowl game at 24-20 .
This led to Marino earning All-American honors in his junior year, and he later got picked up by the Miami Dolphins at the first round of the 1983 NFL draft . Marino wasn't going in as a favorite, but he made an immediate impact. Standing in at 6 feet 4 inches and weighing 220 pounds, Marino was the team's obvious choice for starting quarterback and played six games in his rookie year.
Under Marino, the Dolphins clinched a playoff berth, which led him to Pro Bowl. In 1984, Marino set the record for being the first quarterback to passed 5,084 yards in one season (setting the record for over 5,0000 yards in a single season), and the first athlete to complete over 40 touchdown passes (at 48). These records were eventually broken by Drew Brees and Peyton Manning).
By the end of the season, Marino had set six league records. This catapulted his career and cemented his legacy as one of the most dominant QBs in the NFL.
The NFL named him as their Most Valuable Player (1984) on account of his record-breaking statistics, and at the end of the season, he made his first and only Super Bowl appearance ever in 1985 . His reputation grew so fierce that the San Francisco 49ers positioned five men in their defensive backfield just to counteract Miami's potent attack led by Marino.
In 1991, Marino would become the highest-paid player in NFL when he signed his 5-year contract with the Dolphins, worth around $20 million . Marino continued to make great headways in his career and by the end of the 1996 season, had already surpassed Hall of Fame player Fran Tarkenton as the passing leader in completions, yards, touchdowns, and attempts.
Towards the end of his 17-year career, Marino was the most dominant players at his position. He had set all-time records for yards passing at 61,361, completions at 4,967, touchdowns at 420, and attempts at 8,358.
Marino retired from football in 2000 and In 2005, was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, after retirement he stayed connected with the game in different ways. In 2002, he served as co-host for the CBS program "The NFL Today" and became a regular on the show until 2014. He also served as a co-host for HBO's “Inside the NFL from 2002 to 2007.
Marino was named All-Pro eight times during his time in NFL and won the All-AFC honors for a total of six times.
Dan Marino Biography – Life Outside the Field
Dan Marino Personal Life
Dan Marino is the eldest child in his family and has two siblings. He played football at the grammar school near his house where his father offered coaching services. Marino credits his father for teaching him all about sidearm delivery and quick release.
It is worth pointing out that Marino was a top talent baseball pitcher and was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the MLB draft. Marino could have been baseball royalty but his heart was set on football and he turned down the $35,000 signing bonus (which was a big deal for the time). As a pitcher, he logged an impressive 25-1 in high school and racked up college scholarships from schools such as Michigan State, Clemson, Arizona State University, and UCLA.
Besides football, Marino is a golf aficionado and hopes to one day qualify for the U.S Open. He regularly plays golf on the celebrity circuit .
In 2005, Dan Marino published his autobiography, Dan Marino: My Life in Football. Marino changed how football was played, placing more emphasis on passing than running. After his stellar second season, popular columnist Pete Axthelm would compare his influence on football to Babe Ruth’s influence on baseball.
Dan Marino married Claire Marino in 1985 when he was at the peak of his career in the NFL. The couple has a son together, Michael, who was diagnosed with autism and inspired the founding of the Dan Marino Foundation. The couple also built the Dan Marino Center at the Miami Children’s Hospital in Florida.
Business and Other Ventures
Dan Marino is known for making a name for himself in the world of business. In (2014) he became an equity partner in Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza . Mostly concentrated in Florida and the northeast, the pizza chain spans 52 locations as of 2020. In (2006) Marino became a pitchman for Nutrisystem and in 2012 launched the Passing Time Winery with fellow quarterback, Damon Huard.
Aside from these successful ventures, Marino also does consulting work for the Miami Dolphins and continues to run his charity organizations.