Dan Marino Biography

On September 15, 1961, Daniel Constantine Marino, Jr., is born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Daniel and Veronica Marino. He grows up in a blue-collar neighborhood, with his parents and two younger sisters, Cindi and Debbie.

Already an exceptional athlete as a young teen, Dan Marino stars as quarterback for the Vikings of Pittsburgh’s Central Catholic High School. By his senior year, 1978, he is selected to the Parade High School All America team, recruited to play football by numerous major universities, and is also drafted to play baseball for the Kansas City Royals. Ultimately he chooses to stay near home and attend the University of Pittsburgh.

For the Pittsburgh Panthers, Dan foreshadows his NFL achievements by setting NCAA season and career records for attempts and completions, yardage, and touchdowns. He earns All-American honors his junior year and, after his senior season, Dan’s jersey number is retired by the university in 1982. The NFL Draft awaits.

The Miami Dolphins select Dan as their number one pick (27th overall) in the NFL draft. In an exciting and successful first year, Marino throws 20 touchdown passes, wins league Rookie of the Year honors, and leads the Dolphins to the playoffs. He also becomes the first rookie quarterback to start in the Pro Bowl.

Dan Marino’s record-breaking legacy begins as he completes 362 of 564 passes for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns, setting NFL records for completions, yards and TD's in a season. In the playoffs, the 14-2 Dolphins beat the Seattle Seahawks 31-10, then goes on to defeat Pittsburgh 45-28 in the AFC Championship game, with Dan throwing for 421 yards and four TD's. In Super Bowl XIX, they fall to the San Francisco 49ers, 38 to 16. Dan is named to the Pro Bowl.

Dan marries Claire on January 30, 1985. The Dolphins go 12-4, with Dan throwing for 30 touchdowns. In the playoffs, Miami defeats Cleveland 24-21 to again advance to the AFC Championship game, where they fall to New England, 31-14. Dan is named to the Pro Bowl. Off field, he wins the Ed Block Courage Award.

The first of Dan and Claire’s six children, Daniel Charles, is born in September. Miami slips to 8-8, while Dan throws for 4,746 yards and 44 touchdowns, becoming the only quarterback to throw for 40 or more TDs in each of two seasons. He is again named a Pro Bowl starter.

In 1987, the Dolphins are just 8-7, but Dan passes for over 3,000 yards for 26 touchdowns. He is named to the Pro Bowl for the fifth straight season. In 1988, Dan and Claire’s second son, Michael Joseph, is born in May. Dan passes for more than 4,000 yards for the fourth time in six years. Dan, always an excellent golfer, also teams with golf pro Dan Pohl to win the AT&T Pebble Beach National ProAm Championship. In 1989, Dan and Claire’s third son, Joseph Donald, is born in July. Dan falls just short of 4,000 yards passing.

After a four-year playoff drought, Miami finishes 12-4 and defeats Kansas City, 17-16, in the first post-season round, then falls to Buffalo. The Bills are led by Dan’s on-field rival and off-field friend Jim Kelly. It’s an offensive shootout between the two quarterbacking greats. Final score: 44-34. Back in his home neighborhood, Dan’s grade school football field is renamed Dan Marino Field and his high school honors him as well by retiring his jersey number.

In 1991, the Dolphins go 8-8 as Dan throws for nearly 4,000 yards and 25 touchdowns, and is named to the Pro Bowl. In 1992, Dan and Claire welcome their first daughter, Alexandra Claire, to the world. Miami finishes 11-5, with Dan once again breaking the 4,000 yard passing mark. In a divisional playoff game at Joe Robbie Stadium, the Dolphins blank the Chargers 31-0, with Dan throwing three TDs. However, they once again fall in the AFC Championship game to the Bills, 29-10. Dan is named to the Pro Bowl. Off field, the Marinos’ son Michael is diagnosed autistic, news that launches Dan and Claire’s ongoing efforts to build awareness about the condition and raise funds for research. Dan founds the Dan Marino Foundation that same year.

In 1993, a serious injury sidelines Dan for most of the season and the Dolphins slip to 9-7. Dan returns to action in 1994 to throw for 30 touchdowns and more than 4,400 yards. The Dolphins, 10-6, host Kansas City for a first-round playoff game, which Miami wins 27-17. The following week in San Diego, the Dolphins are edged 22-21, despite a thrilling, Marino-led drive in the waning minutes that concluded with a missed field goal attempt. Dan is named to the Pro Bowl. Off field, Dan plays himself in the hit movie, “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” starring Jim Carrey, and also serves as the Dolphins’ United Way representative.

Miami finishes 9-7, qualifies for the playoffs, but bows in the first round to Buffalo, 37-22. Despite a 24-0 Bills halftime lead, Marino and mates battle back furiously, and Dan finishes with 422 yards and two TDs. It is Don Shula’s last game as head coach of the Dolphins, after 25 years at the helm. He retires the winningest coach in NFL history. Dan is named to the Pro Bowl for his ninth time.

It’s a year of transition for the Dolphins, as ex-Dallas head coach Jimmy Johnson takes over for the retiring Don Shula. Miami finishes 8-8 and Dan throws for 2,795 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Miami improves to 9-7 and makes the playoffs for the first time with Johnson at the helm. A loss to the Patriots the following week marks the end to one of football’s most incredible streaks: Dan had completed at least one touchdown pass in 13 consecutive playoff games -- a NFL record.

The Dolphins finish 10-6 and Dan returns to form, throwing for 3,497 yards and 23 TD's. In the playoffs, the Dolphins defeat the Buffalo Bills, 24-17, at Pro Player Stadium. Dan throws for 235 yards and one touchdown. The next week in Mile High Stadium, Miami falls to Super Bowl-bound Denver, 38-3. In recognition for his on-field performance and off-field community and charity activities, Dan wins the NFL Man of the Year Award. On TV, Dan also appears in public service announcements for the United Way. His movie career continues in “Holy Man” starring Eddie Murphy.

Off the field, Dan and Claire adopt another lovely daughter, Niki Lin. On the field, in his final season, Dan becomes the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for 60,000 career yards. After a 9-7 regular season, the Dolphins play the Seahawks in the last game played at the Kingdome. Marino passes for a modest 196 yards and one TD, which moves him past Terry Bradshaw and into second place for most career touchdown passes in the playoffs, behind only Joe Montana. Miami prevails, 20-17. Unfortunately, the Dolphins season – and Dan Marino’s football career – comes to an end the following weekend in Jacksonville

Yet no single game can tarnish the dazzling career of Dan Marino. His NFL-record career passing totals of 61,361 yards, 8,358 attempts, 4,967 completions, and 420 touchdowns may never be surpassed. His 13 seasons in which he threw for at least 3.000 yards is also a record. His total of 147 regular season games won is second only to John Elway’s 148. Marino finishes with 49 Dolphins team records (regular season and playoffs) and 24 NFL regular season records. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind, when Dan announces his retirement in early 2000, he leaves the game a winner.

On Sunday, September 17, 2000, at halftime of the Dolphins-Baltimore Ravens game at Pro Player Stadium, Dan Marino’s jersey number, 13, is retired. The only other Dolphins jersey number retired is 12, Bob Griese. Dan joins the Dolphins Honor Roll the same day. In a year of accolades from the franchise he led so long and so well, the Dolphins also install a life-size bronze statue of Dan at Pro Player Stadium and rename Stadium Street, Dan Marino Boulevard.

In 2001, Dan and Claire welcome a third daughter to the family when they adopt Lia. Making a successful transition to a career off the grid iron, Dan becomes host of HBO’s “Inside the NFL.” In 2003, he also joins the on-air staff of CBS’ “The NFL Today” as a studio analyst. He continues his many charitable endeavors and business investments, while raising a family of six with Claire. Also in 2003, Dan is honored for his outstanding NCAA career at Pitt with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

In January, Dan Marino is named one of 15 finalists for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in his first year of eligibility. Then, on February 5, Dan is elected on the first ballot to the Hall of Fame, joining fellow superstar quarterback Steve Young and two pro football pioneers, Benny Friedman and Fritz Pollard.

On August 7, Dan Marino is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After being presented by his eldest son, Daniel, who gives his father a moving and insightful introduction, Dan steps to the lectern and delivers an emotional acceptance speech to a wildly enthusiastic crowd of predominantly Dolphins fans.

Dan takes a moment to complete his last pass as a pro, to retired Miami teammate and “Marks Brother,” receiver Mark Clayton, who is in the audience, and closes with a loving thank you to his wife, Claire, and their family. It is the crowning moment to one of the most spectacular football careers in the history of the NFL. Please see Gallery page for more photos from the enshrinement ceremony, and see ProFootballHOF.com for a copy of Dan's enshrinement speech.