Dan Marino (born September 15, 1961) was a top National Football League quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, who attained nearly every measure of football success but a Super Bowl title. He played college ball at the University of Pittsburgh from the 1979 to 1982 seasons, and led the Panthers to a Sugar Bowl triumph over the Georgia Bulldogs in January of 1982. His senior season during the '82 season was pretty much of a disappointment in respect to all the Heisman and National Championship hype during the pre-season. His team lost the Cotton Bowl to SMU.
With the down season of his last year at Pitt and unsubstantiated rumors of drug abuse, Marino's selection in the 1983 NFL draft fell to second to last pick in the first round by the Miami Dolphins. He would play seventeen seasons for Miami.
During his career in Miami he would lead the Dolphins to Super Bowl XIX in January 1985 where they lost 38-16 to the San Francisco 49ers and Joe Montana. He brought Miami division titles in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1992, and 1994. With Marino at the helm, the Dolphins were a perennial playoff team except during the seasons of 1986 through 1989. He brought them the AFC Championship game three times, winning in 1984 and losing in 1985 and 1992. He won the Dolphins their first road playoff game in over twenty years in the 1999 season (his last) against the Seattle Seahawks. However, he could never attain that elusive Vince Lombardi Trophy because his teams would never have the right parts. It came down to either not having a successful running game or a strong defense.
During his professional career (1983 to 1999) in Miami he was one of the most skilled and revered quarterbacks in the game. He was known for having the quickest release in the sport, throwing bullets, and making the most miraculous passes. However, is not known for his scrammbling ability. He has the most fourth quarter comebacks in the history of the NFL (John Elway is second). He had the greatest season for any quarterback in 1984 when he threw for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdown passes. Following the 1994 season he named Comeback Player of the Year for his Pro Bowl season after his season ending achille's tendon injury in 1993. He holds the career record for passing yardage, touchdown passes, completions, and attempts. He also holds or is tied for countless other passing records. He has earned the title "The NFL's Most Prolific Passer."
Presently, he lives with his wife and kids in Florida. During the football seasons he works for CBS on their NFL Today Show and HBO on Inside the NFL.
In 2004, Dan Marino returned to the Miami Dolphins as senior vice president of football operations, a position reporting directly to team president Eddie Jones.
