Welcome back to another edition of Jersey Sunday - the first one in a long while. I was thinking of posting this last week because it ties in with football and the Super Bowl, but I was too busy to conduct the research. Anyways, here is my Miami Dolphins Dan Marino uniform delivered right on time for Jersey Sunday.
This is a really old piece made by Champion I ordered online, I’m not exactly sure when this style was first used by the Miami Dolphins but I know they changed their look in 1997. The majority of images I could find of Dan Marino wearing this type of jersey were Wilson brand with the NFL logo on the collar. The numbers, name, and sleeve designs are screen printed and surprisingly still intact. Another slight difference from what was worn by the players is the space of aquamarine between the white and coral ink.
This cap was posted in a previous Snapback Saturday. I didn’t think I’d get a jersey to match with it, but I’m glad I do now.
Dan Marino was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the same city he would attend college between 1979-1983. As quarterback for the Pittsburgh Panthers, “Mr. Cool,” as he was known, led the team to a victory in the 1982 Sugar Bowl and an appearance in the 1983 Cotton Bowl Classic. That would be his final collegiate year as he would enter the 1983 NFL Draft.
Dan Marino was selected 27th overall in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. Five quarterbacks were selected before him, but history shows he was one of the ultimate steals. He started his first game six weeks into the season and scored a 96% pass rating – a rookie record. With a regular season record of 12-4, the Dolphins would come up short in the playoff run. He was, however, selected to his first Pro Bowl game and was the first rookie quarterback to start such an event.
In his sophomore season in the league, the young quarterback led the Dolphins to a 14-2 record, the AFC Conference Championship, and a trip to Super Bowl XIX where they would face Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers. Miami would come up short against the red, gold and white, 38-16. It would be Dan Marino's only appearance on football’s biggest stage.
His career would be a continuous roller coaster ride with many sub-par endings. Their record for the next 15 seasons was a mediocre 137-100 [.578] with seven playoff appearances and three AFC East Division Championships. Despite the lack of outstanding finishes, Dan Marino continued to dominate the record books for a quarterback such as most passing yards, most completions, and most touchdown passes.
He would put an end to his career right before the 2000 NFL season making the playoffs for one final time. His last win was a 20-17 victory against the Seattle Seahawks in the first round. His final game was a 62-7 second round loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. It would make him one of the very few modern players to spend an entire career with one football club.
Career Highlights and Awards:
242 games played, 8358 attempts, 4967 completions, 61361 total yards, 420 TDs, 9x Pro Bowl selection [1983-87, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995], NFL MVP [1984], NFL Offensive Player of the Year [1984], NFL Comeback Player of the Year [1994], Walter Payton Man of the Year [1998], holder/sharer of 34 NFL records [as of his retirement in 2000], #27 on The Sporting News 100 Greatest NFL Players, #25 on The NFL Network’s Top 100 Greatest Players, College Football Hall of Fame inductee [2002], and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee [2005].
On September 17, 2000, the Miami Dolphins retired the #13 in his honour. His number is also retired by the Pittsburgh Panthers college football team.
After his son was diagnosed with autism, he started The Dan Marino Foundation, an organization to help benefit young children with neurological disorders.
"It's okay to dream big dreams, as long as you're willing to work towards those dreams. Never look back and say, 'If only I had done this or that, I could have reached my dream.; Give it everything you've got and take advantage of every opportunity. If you do, your dreams will come true." - Dan Marino
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