Dan Marino

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Marino's college career at Pitt was defined by elite success before a dip during his senior year affected his draft stock. As a freshman, he led the Panthers to victories over West Virginia and Penn State, finishing with three straight 11–1 seasons through 1981. He threw a game-winning pass to John Brown in the 1982 Sugar Bowl against Georgia, leading the nation with 34 touchdown passes that year. However, a transition in coaching staff under Foge Fazio contributed to a 7–3 Cotton Bowl loss to Southern Methodist University in his final season. This dip, combined with rumors of drug use, caused five other quarterbacks—including Jim Kelly and John Elway—to be drafted ahead of him. Marino eventually became visibly ill when the Jets selected Ken O'Brien before the Dolphins took him 27th overall.

In Their Own Story

Marino's professional impact was immediate and historic. After starting as a backup to David Woodley, he made his first NFL start in week 6 against the Buffalo Bills, losing 38–35 in overtime. As a rookie, he set multiple records including a 96.0 passer rating and leading a conference in passing, earning Sporting News Rookie of the Year honors. In 1984, he exploded for 5,084 passing yards and 48 touchdown passes, becoming the first QB to reach 5,000 yards in a season and setting single-season marks for completions, yards, and touchdowns while winning MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. He led Miami to Super Bowl XIX against Joe Montana's 49ers, where he threw for 318 yards and one touchdown but suffered two late interceptions in a 38–16 loss.

Reader's Guide

Marino holds or held dozens of NFL records, including career passing attempts (8,358), completions (4,967), yards (61,361), and touchdowns (420) at the time of his retirement. He is the only quarterback to lead the league in all three major passing categories for three consecutive years (1984–1986) and the only one to lead in either completions or yards across back-to-back decades, topping the 1980s with 220 touchdowns and the 1990s with 33,508 yards. His career passer rating of 86.4 ranked fourth-highest in history upon retirement. He was voted NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 1994 and Walter Payton Man of the Year in 1998. Enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005, his number 13 is one of only three retired by the Dolphins.

Did You Know?

• Marino was the last quarterback taken in the first round of the famed 1983 draft class, selected after Ken O'Brien, Tony Eason, Todd Blackledge, Jim Kelly, and John Elway.
• He is the only QB in NFL history to lead the league in completions, passing yards, and touchdown passes for three consecutive years (1984–1986).
• Marino threw the most touchdown passes of the entire 1980s decade (220) despite playing only seven seasons during that period.
• In Super Bowl XIX, Marino set AFC Championship Game records with 421 passing yards and four touchdowns in the game prior to his only Super Bowl appearance.
• He was selected by the Los Angeles Express as the first draft pick in USFL history but chose to sign with the Dolphins instead.