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Number Crunching: #13
by Chris Brophy
23/6/2009
Last time out number 12 proved to be a minefield but as we reach unlucky 13 the decision is far easier. Our all timer at this number is regarded by many to be the best quarterback never to win a championship but that’s unfair and really the question should be “is he the best quarterback ever?” He belongs in that conversation. Read on to find out all there is to know about the Diners best ever number 13.
FD’s All Time #13: Dan Marino, Quarterback (Miami Dolphins)
 In the 1983 draft the landscape of the NFL got a massive push towards its future direction. The league was evolving from the defensive domination of the 1970’s into the offensively energized game led by passing that we know today. That draft contained the Quarterback Class of 1983 which would see six quarterbacks taken in the first round and four of those six would play in a Super Bowl. However, out of all the six taken, it would be Dan Marino who had the most success. With the 27th pick of the 1983 draft, the Miami Dolphins had seen five other quarterbacks go but would have the last laugh as their new boy would blaze a trail through the league for the next seventeen seasons and retire with nearly every significant passing record there was to be had.
Dan Constantine Marino first came to the football world’s attention at college in Pittsburgh where he enjoyed great success with the Panthers program. As a freshman he helped them to a Bowl victory over West Virginia and then as a junior he led his team to success in the Sugar Bowl over Georgia. In his senior season he was expected to compete for the Heisman Trophy but a subpar year concluded in a Cotton Bowl loss to the Pony Express of SMU led by Eric Dickerson and Craig James.
Marino’s draft stock was hurt further by a poor wonderlic score (16), some knee injury problems that scouts felt would affect his mobility and rumours of cocaine use. All combined to see the likes of Todd Blackledge and Tony Eason go ahead of him in the ’83 draft and finally the Dolphins pounced with pick 27 as Don Shula was looking for a challenger to incumbent starter David Woodley. Whilst every team picking above the Dolphins will look and wonder how they missed on Marino no team was sorer than Marino’s home town team Pittsburgh Steelers who needed a replacement for Terry Bradshaw. The Steelers instead selected defensive tackle Gabriel Rivera who tragically was seriously injured in a car accident in his rookie year, ending his career.
Marino would go on to play straight away as a rookie, soon winning the starting job off Woodley. He showed plenty of the ability that would stand him in good stead the rest of his career. In 11 games he threw 20TD’s compared to only 6 interceptions and his quick release seen him only sacked 10 times all of which earned him rookie of the year honours. However, he had sprained his knee close to the end of the year and in his first play-off game the Dolphins were beaten by the Seattle Seahawks.
The stage was set for the 1984 season and Marino went berserk. He shattered any kind of meaningful passing record for a season that year. No one had ever dreamed of 5000 yards passing in a season but Marino beat Dan Fouts old record by close to 300 yards with 5084. The record for touchdown passes in a season had been set in 1961 by George Blanda (and equalled by YA Tittle in ’63) but Marino blew it away with 48 scoring strikes. The prolific passing also brought many victories and the Dolphins would go all the way to the Super Bowl with a 14-2 record. Revenge was gained over the Seahawks with a 31-10 victory and then Marino’s home town Steelers were dispatched with a 421 yard, 4TD pass performance from Marino in a 45-28 shootout.
 With his deadly receiving corps of the Mark’s Brothers (Duper and Clayton) as well as canny veteran Nat Moore, Marino and the Dolphins faced Joe Montana and his 49ers in Super Bowl XIX but whilst Marino could put up yards through the air (318) his running game was of little help and the Dolphins defense allowed over 300 yards passing and over 200 yards rushing as the Niners breezed to a 38-16 win.
This would be the story of Marino’s career. He was asked to carry his team and keep it competitive which he would do but little support from the running game and a pourous defense meant unless Marino and his receivers could outscore teams all the time they would eventually be found out. Not until 1996 would the Dolphins have a 1000 yard rusher behind Marino in the backfield and in the 80’s the defense of Miami would often rank near the bottom of the league rankings.
1985 seen the Dolphins come very close to the ultimate victory again. Marino wasn’t quite as prolific but over 4000 yards and 30TD’s is hardly a low return and they were the only team to beat the seemingly unbeatable Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football and many expected the two teams to meet up in Super Bowl XX. Two figures from Marino’s pass would return to deny him in the AFC Championship though as the upstart New England Patriots, led by Tony Eason at quarterback (who had been drafted higher than Marino in the ’83 draft) and running back Craig James (of the SMU Pony Express who had beaten Marino in the 1983 Cotton Bowl) threw in spanner in the well laid plan. We’ll never know now if Marino and his Dolphins could have given the Bears another shock that year.
The defeat seemed to knock the stuffing out of the Dolphins and they would remain out of the post season until 1990. Marino was still churning out some outstanding numbers though. 4746 yards and 44 TD passes in 1986, another 4000 yard season in 1989 and only three yards short of repeating the trick again in 1990 as the Phins reached post season. It was clear that as long as Marino remained healthy he would likely challenge every all time passing record there was to aim at. Between 1984 and 1993 Marino would start 145 straight non-strike games.
That streak would end in 1993 when an Achilles injury ended his year. He returned in 1994 to throw for over 4000 yards and 30TD’s but the Dolphins were now playing second fiddle in their division in the 1990’s to the Buffalo Bills who were now the major force in the AFC.
With the retirement of Don Shula and the addition of new Head Coach Jimmy Johnson many wondered if Marino would be used like Johnson had used Herschel Walker in Dallas and traded for a king’s ransom to help rebuild the team. Johnson however stuck with Marino and the running game was committed to as well as improvements on defense but neither man ever found the success they both craved. By now, Marino was near the end and injuries were becoming more frequent and taking their toll. In 1999 he returned from injury to throw five interceptions in a Thanksgiving loss to the Cowboys and the Dolphins then lost four of the next five but somehow still landed in the post season. Marino would enjoy one final play-off win when he helped the Dolphins beat the Seahawks 20-17 but it all came to a rather horrible end when the Jacksonville Jaguars whipped the Dolphins 62-10 and Marino was benched for Damon Huard in the second half. Johnson would quit and it seemed the time was right for Marino to follow although a Super Bowl ring still eluded him and there was an offer to carry on from the Minnesota Vikings. He made the decision to retire and did so as the NFL’s all time passing leader in every significant category and holding 31 team records.
 The desire to continue must have difficult for Marino to fight but ultimately, he made the correct decision and his legacy is better thought of now than it was when he left the game. As well as holding too many records to mention, Marino also enjoyed some fine rivalries, especially with two of his fellow class of ’83 quarterbacks.
In the 80’s it was Ken O’Brien and the Jets who would often be involved in offensive duals with Marino’s Dolphins. In 1985 Marino and Mark Duper teamed up for 8 times for 217 yards including the winning TD a 50 yard strike to make O’Briens 393 yard, 2TD day worthless. Marino himself had passed for over 300 yards that day but nothing would compare to the two players 1986 game where they totalled a net passing total of 884 yards! The game was won by the Jets 51-45 in overtime. Who would believe you can throw 6 TD passes in a game like Marino did and still come out on the losing side?! Marino would get revenge later in the season as he threw for 4 TD’s in a 45-3 blowout of the Jets giving him 10 TD passes against one team in a season.
In the late 80’s and 90’s Buffalo’s Jim Kelly would be the main rival. The Bills were the AFC’s team to beat as they made the Super Bowl four straight times and it’s fair to say in that period Kelly got the bragging rights in terms of victories but Marino still had his moments such as a 3TD pass performance in a 37-10 victory at Buffalo in 1992.
The Bills would also be responsible for putting a stop to another Marino record when nose tackle Jeff Wright sacked Marino after a streak of 19 games and 759 pass attempts without being sacked. You could put that down to a good offensive line but don’t underestimate Marino’s part in that streak. His quick release was a vital part of it as was his ability to feel and sidestep the rush. Randall Cunningham or Michael Vick he was not but finding that extra second or gunning the ball out so quick to beat any kind of pressure was just as effective for Marino.
When it was all said and done Marino had made nine Pro Bowls and was named first or second team All-Pro eight times. He had thrown for 61361 yards off 8358 attempts of which 4967 were completed and includes 420 touchdown passes all NFL records at the time and still second since our all time #4 Brett Favre beat them. His was selected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility and is regarded by many as the greatest pure passer of all time.
Honourable Mentions:
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Don Maynard, Wide Receiver (NY Giants, NY Titans/Jets, St Louis Cardinals)
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Jake Scott, Safety (Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins)
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Kurt Warner, Quarterback (St Louis Rams, NY Giants, Arizona Cardinals)
 Don Maynard only managed one season with the NFL’s Giants and was the first player to sign with the then Titans of the AFL. Labelled an NFL reject in some parts of the press all he did was become one of only 20 players to play through the whole of the AFL’s existence, be part of the first tandem to record 1000 yards receiving each as well as helping Joe Namath to the first ever 4000 yard passing season, make 4 Pro Bowls and be named All-Pro 5 times and finish up with 633 career receptions at a whooping 18.7 yards per catch (the best average for anyone in the 600+ catches club). Maynard was also a part of the Jets team that won Super Bowl III. He was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1987.
Before Dan Marino wore #13 to fame for the Dolphins safety Jake Scott had starred for the same franchise wearing the number. His finest hour came in Super Bowl VII when he shadowed star Redskins receiver Charley Taylor all over the field, made two interceptions and was named the game’s MVP. He’d also win another Super Bowl the following year. Named to 5 Pro Bowls, Scott would ironically spend his final pro football seasons with the team he had helped defeat in the Dolphins perfect season – the Redskins. He made 49 interceptions over his nine NFL seasons.
After having to ply his trade in Arena football and NFL Europe Kurt Warner got a chance in 1999 when Rams starter Trent Green went down. He took it with hands, feet and anything else he could use to grab as he passed for over 4300 yards, 41TD’s and led the Rams to victory in Super Bowl XXXIV where he would also be named the MVP. He also won the NFL’s MVP award that season and again in 2001 as he led his team back to the big game. After a slump in his fortunes which occurred as fast as he had come to prominence Warner has gotten his career back on track in recent years and led his current team, the Arizona Cardinals, to the Super Bowl this year. With it he gave his own future Hall of Fame campaign a big push forward.
Learn More about past NFL greats in our History Archive
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