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Dan Marino, of the Miami Dolphins, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Source: https://www.clevelandskyline.com (May be subject to copyright) |
Perhaps that is why I never really liked Dan Marino when he was playing for the Miami Dolphins in the 1980s and beyond.
But, I saw his story on “A Football Life” and, through the eyes of an adult, I really like the quarterback I never really liked back then.
Pitt Panther
Marino had had a stellar career at the University of Pittsburgh, but his stock went down his senior year when his team did not do well. Somehow, and I found this hard to believe when I heard it on “A Football Life”, he had acquired a reputation as a partier. All I could think was, “He wasn’t going to the University of Miami.”
Marino had had a stellar career at the University of Pittsburgh, but his stock went down his senior year when his team did not do well. Somehow, and I found this hard to believe when I heard it on “A Football Life”, he had acquired a reputation as a partier. All I could think was, “He wasn’t going to the University of Miami.”
All joking aside, it was when he was at Pitt that I saw Marino for the first time. At the end of the 1982 season, the Panthers had qualified for the 1983 Cotton Bowl against the SMU mustangs, and there was a bit of a write-up about him in “TV Guide”. It seemed Pitt was favoured, but they could not generate any offence, and Marino did not look as good as “TV Guide” described. The Mustangs also had the “Pony Express” backfield of Eric Dickerson and Craig James who were stars in their own right. The Mustangs prevailed, winning the 1983 Cotton Bowl by a score of 7-3.
It would remain to be seen how Marino would fair in the NFL draft. He had been an All-American in his junior year, then didn’t have a very good senior year, and the quarterback class of 1983 was loaded with talent.
The draft
The first time I heard Dan Marino’s name called was by a familiar face in a new place. Hugh Campbell, who had coached the Edmonton Eskimos to five straight Grey Cup championships, had left after the 1982 season to coach the Los Angeles Express in the brand new United States Football League. It began play in the Spring of 1983. The Express recognized talent, taking Marino first overall in the league’s inaugural draft in 1983.
The first time I heard Dan Marino’s name called was by a familiar face in a new place. Hugh Campbell, who had coached the Edmonton Eskimos to five straight Grey Cup championships, had left after the 1982 season to coach the Los Angeles Express in the brand new United States Football League. It began play in the Spring of 1983. The Express recognized talent, taking Marino first overall in the league’s inaugural draft in 1983.
Marino decided to wait for the NFL draft. He would be the last quarterback selected in the first round.
I had not heard who drafted Marino, because there were not a lot of places for me to find information like that back then.
In fact, I was at a family gathering, and I found myself sitting with one of my cousins who knew a lot about sports. I asked him, “Did you hear who took Dan Marino?”
He was quite tired, and replied, “I don’t even know who the (Calgary) Flames took.”
Okay, maybe he just knew a lot about hockey.
It was pretty much at the outset of the 1983 season that I discovered who actually took Dan Marino – the Miami Dolphins.
It would be one of the best decisions in their history, and one of the worst for some of the teams who took quarterbacks ahead of Marino.
Rookie sensation
When I started watching football, the Dolphins were already a decent team, with a lot of players still remaining from those years they went to three straight Super Bowls and were one of the perennial powerhouses in the AFC. In fact, they had gone to the Super Bowl the previous season, in 1982, where they got thumped by Washington. They were solid at quarterback with Bob Griese then Don Strock and David Woodley.
When I started watching football, the Dolphins were already a decent team, with a lot of players still remaining from those years they went to three straight Super Bowls and were one of the perennial powerhouses in the AFC. In fact, they had gone to the Super Bowl the previous season, in 1982, where they got thumped by Washington. They were solid at quarterback with Bob Griese then Don Strock and David Woodley.
Woodley was Miami’s starting quarterback, with Marino backing him up to start the season. It would not take long though for Dan Marino to take his place in the NFL. Oddly, In the midst of writing this I got a notification on Facebook about Oct. 9 being the 40th anniversary of Dan Marino’s professional debut in Week 6 of the 1983 NFL season. They played quarterback Joe Ferguson and the Buffalo Bills. He passed for more than 400 yards and the Bills earned a rare win over the Dolphins in overtime, and an even rarer win at the Orange Bowl.
Marino would not stay down for long.
He would go 7-2 as a starter, completing 173 of 296 passes for 2,210 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. He was sacked 10 times, and rushed for 45 yards and two touchdowns.
Marino was named the Sporting News rookie of the year, a second team All-Pro, and a Pro Bowl selection.
The Dolphins finished the season with a 12-4 record, good enough for first in the AFC East, and a date with the Seattle Seahawks, who had defeated Denver in the Wild Card game, in one of the AFC Divisional Games. Marino threw two touchdown passes, but was intercepted twice as the underdog Seahawks upset the Dolphins by a score of 27-20.
It was a sign of things to come.
MVP season
As the 1984 NFL season opened, Dan Marino was the undisputed starting quarterback for the Dolphins, and he would turn in a season to remember.
As the 1984 NFL season opened, Dan Marino was the undisputed starting quarterback for the Dolphins, and he would turn in a season to remember.
He completed 362 of 564 passes for a league record 5,084 yards, a league record 48 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. He was sacked 13 times, and had minus-seven yards rushing.
Marino was named the NFL Most Valuable Player and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year, was a first team All-Pro, and a Pro Bowl selection.
The Dolphins finished with a record of 14-2, securing first place in the AFC East and the top seed in the playoffs. They avenged their loss to the Seahawks in 1983, with a 31-10 win in the AFC Divisional Game, then thrashed the Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 45-28 in the AFC Championship Game. Marino set AFC Championship Game records for passing yards with 421 and passing touchdowns with four. Those records still stand.
Miami faced San Francisco in the Super Bowl, where the 49ers harassed Marino and intercepted him twice, en route to a 38-16 win. Marino did throw for 318 yards and a touchdown in a losing cause.
It was the only Super Bowl that Dan Marino ever played in.
Most memorable moment
Although the Dolphins did not go to another Super Bowl, Dan Marino turned in one of the most memorable performances of his career, during the 1985 season.
Although the Dolphins did not go to another Super Bowl, Dan Marino turned in one of the most memorable performances of his career, during the 1985 season.
The Miami Dolphins had the only perfect season in NFL history, going undefeated in the regular season and winning the Super Bowl in 1972. The 1985 Chicago Bears were a similar juggernaut, mowing down everyone in their path.
Then, the Bears met the Dolphins in Week 13 on Monday Night Football in what many called a Super Bowl preview. With the members of the 1972 team watching, the Dolphins handed the Bears their only loss of the season, where Marino showed great poise and leadership facing one of the best defences in the history of the NFL.
He had another amazing season, leading the Dolphins to a 12-4 record and first place in the AFC East Division. Marino led the league in completions, yards, and touchdown passes as he went 336 of 567 for 4,137 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions. He was also named a first-team All-Pro and went to the Pro Bowl.
The Dolphins opened against the Cleveland Browns, who were a team on the rise, in the AFC Divisional Game. They gave Miami a scare before Marino rallied the Dolphins to win by a score of 24-21. The Dolphins would face their AFC East rival the New England patriots in the AFC Championship Game The Patriots had defeated the New Jork Jets in the AFC Wild Card Game then the Los Angeles Raiders in the other AFC Divisional Game.
The Patriots were all over the Dolphins, winning easily by a score of 31-14, and preventing that dream Super Bowl match up between Miami and the Chicago Bears.
Solid season
Marino had another strong season in 1986, leading the league in completions, yards and touchdown passes for the third consecutive season, becoming the first and only quarterback to do so. He went 378 of 623 for 4,746 yards, 44 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions.Marino also became the fastest quarterback to 100 touchdown passes, doing it in 44 games, and he was just shy of turning 25 years old. He was also a first team All-Pro and was named the Pro Bowl.
Marino had another strong season in 1986, leading the league in completions, yards and touchdown passes for the third consecutive season, becoming the first and only quarterback to do so. He went 378 of 623 for 4,746 yards, 44 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions.Marino also became the fastest quarterback to 100 touchdown passes, doing it in 44 games, and he was just shy of turning 25 years old. He was also a first team All-Pro and was named the Pro Bowl.
The Dolphins finished with an 8-8 record, third in the AFCE East, and out of the playoffs for the first time in Marino’s career.
Strike season
A work stoppage shortened the 1987 season. Marino had another decent season, going 263 of 444 for 3,245 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, and was named to his fifth straight Pro Bowl.
A work stoppage shortened the 1987 season. Marino had another decent season, going 263 of 444 for 3,245 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, and was named to his fifth straight Pro Bowl.
The Dolphins finished 8-7, and out of the playoffs for the second straight season.
Another milestone
In 1988, Dan Marino reached another milestone. When he passed for 4,434 yards, he became the first quarterback to pass for 4,000 yards in four separate seasons. Overall, he went 354 of 606 for 4,434 yards, 28 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.
In 1988, Dan Marino reached another milestone. When he passed for 4,434 yards, he became the first quarterback to pass for 4,000 yards in four separate seasons. Overall, he went 354 of 606 for 4,434 yards, 28 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.
The Dolphins finished 6-10, dead last in the AFC East.
End of the decade
In 1989, Marino went 308 of 550 for 3,997 yards, 24 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. The Dolphins finished 8-8, good enough for third in the AFC East, and out of the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Marino had now missed the playoffs in his career more than he made them.
In 1989, Marino went 308 of 550 for 3,997 yards, 24 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. The Dolphins finished 8-8, good enough for third in the AFC East, and out of the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Marino had now missed the playoffs in his career more than he made them.
The years after
Dan Marino would go on to break many passing records, and return the Dolphins to the AFC Championship Game in 1992. He would suffer an injury, return to action, and be named comeback player of the year.
Dan Marino would go on to break many passing records, and return the Dolphins to the AFC Championship Game in 1992. He would suffer an injury, return to action, and be named comeback player of the year.
He retired after the 1999 season, completing 4,967 of 8,358 passes for 61,361 yards, 420 touchdowns and 252 interceptions.
He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
Parting thoughts
Early in his career, I always found myself not cheering for Dan Marino. The Miami Dolphins were always such an overwhelming favourite, I had to cheer for the under dog they were playing, whether it was Seattle in 1983 or Cleveland and New England in 1985.
Early in his career, I always found myself not cheering for Dan Marino. The Miami Dolphins were always such an overwhelming favourite, I had to cheer for the under dog they were playing, whether it was Seattle in 1983 or Cleveland and New England in 1985.
As his career progressed, and he played 16 seasons after all, I began to appreciate how truly great he was. After that injury, I became a fan for the way he mounted that heroic comeback.
With the NFL evolving into a major passing league, seeing that Marino’s numbers still hold up, given how much the rules have been liberalized to favour the passing game is truly impressive.
The fact he never won a Super Bowl, to me, is overstated because football is a team game. Every Super Bowl champion has had some break go their way over the course of the season and a playoff game is one-game, winner take all.
I believe the true test of greatness is a body of work, and Marino’s speaks for itself.
He really is one of the greatest.
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