#25: Dan Marino | The Top 100: Nfl's Greatest Players (2010)

[Highzenga]

IMO, most people rank players based off team success -- which the completely wrong way to do it. If you're ranking greatest "teams" of all time, sure. But many of the greatest players of all time played on inferior teams.

In the case of Marino, he played on an average to slightly above average (at times) franchise with a HOF coach that was a bit passed his prime yet #13 still managed to elevate them.

IMO, if Marino was swapped with Montana during the 49ers glory days -- he'd also have been part of multiple SB titles and maybe even more than the 4 they got with Joe Cool. Sames goes with the Patriots. Swap Marino for Brady and they still win at an equal or better clip. People forget how defense and special team heavy New England was the first 4-5 years of Brady's career. Marino was elite right off the bat and would have made those early Patriots championship teams far more deadly.

People often underestimate Marino despite it being pretty much impossible to overcome the lack of defense and special teams. And an o-line that is balanced enough to be able to run the ball effectively. Shula and the front office of the time made big mistakes putting together a one-dimensional offensive line and failing to find a RB whose running style could compensate. And the defense/ST's was almost always a joke. Only a couple times during Marino's career were they passable.

It's pretty much impossible to win a SB when your defense surrenders 40+ in a Conference title game and 38 in a SB. Just ask Tom Brady who's team lost last year despite putting 33 on the scoreboard.

I 100% agree with putting Marino on the NE/SF they would’ve definitely had even more success. Marino WAS the system. In fact, the only player I would put close to Marino as far as best qb talent wise is Rodgers. You make good points

 

[Ju1cy_St3ak_route]

I loved Marino and if I had to pick one quarterback to start a team, I'd take him, but he's not the best quarterback that ever played. Not winning a Super Bowl is huge when discussing his legacy. Joe Montana imo, is the greatest quarterback of all-time.

I feel u but no, Marino is still the best ever. Then without a doubt followed by Joe, Rodgers, Elway & Brady. Give Marino 4 chances at a Super Bowl..... **** look at Elway & Jim Kelly... Marino is the best I've ever seen is all I can say. The GOAT

 

[Teenwolf]

When I watch Rogers, I get the same feelings I had when watching Marino.

I don't buy the whole 'Marino never had any good teams to play on' argument. I watch a ton of old games on Youtube and what I notice is how good some of our teams were, especially compared to the junk we have today.

Let's face it, the 49ers dominated the 80's with some of the best teams ever seen, the Bills dominated the early half of the 90's with fantastic teams, and then Dallas came along. Marino played on some really good teams, but unfortunately others were better.

I would certainly have him higher up on the list, but as time goes by, quarterbacks are getting better, in part due to the rules, but also because the position & plays evolve.

I think Drew Brees should get a mention too, heck of a player and so consistent!

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

I certainly couldn't point to 24 better players than Marino. The quarterbacks ranked ahead of him would be sitting on the bench watching if they played on the same team as Marino.

Although Favre is one of my all time favorites. One of the toughest to ever play the game....regardless of position.

Dan Marino is a top 10 all time player in my opinion. None of these quarterbacks nowdays are playing the same game he played, and they're not doing what he did.

 

[royalshank]

When I watch Rogers, I get the same feelings I had when watching Marino.

I don't buy the whole 'Marino never had any good teams to play on' argument. I watch a ton of old games on Youtube and what I notice is how good some of our teams were, especially compared to the junk we have today.

Let's face it, the 49ers dominated the 80's with some of the best teams ever seen, the Bills dominated the early half of the 90's with fantastic teams, and then Dallas came along. Marino played on some really good teams, but unfortunately others were better.

I would certainly have him higher up on the list, but as time goes by, quarterbacks are getting better, in part due to the rules, but also because the position & plays evolve.

I think Drew Brees should get a mention too, heck of a player and so consistent!

You are right about the dynasties of the ‘80s and ‘90s including the Skins. The NFC won every SN from ‘84-‘96 w more physical, power football. But, the Miami teams were not that good. The defense was always bad - the constant? Longest tenured D coordinarle during his time even though his D almost always was bottom of the league. Miami has a few very good teams after ‘84 but not a SB worthy one. Even w Dan.

 

[SkapePhin]

At the end of the clip Alex Rodriguez says he hasn't watched another Dolphin game since Marino retired...

Fair weather asshole!

 

[Adam Strange]

You are right about the dynasties of the ‘80s and ‘90s including the Skins. The NFC won every SN from ‘84-‘96 w more physical, power football. But, the Miami teams were not that good. The defense was always bad - the constant? Longest tenured D coordinarle during his time even though his D almost always was bottom of the league. Miami has a few very good teams after ‘84 but not a SB worthy one. Even w Dan.

The ‘85 team was Super Bowl worthy; they just had an awful game at the worst time (not that they were a lock to win the SB had they gotten there, but they certainly were good enough to get there). The early ‘90s teams— specifically ‘90, 92, and ‘94— were good enough to win the conference, but they came up short in the playoffs and never had the answer for Buffalo in the post-season.

 

[royalshank]

The ‘85 team was Super Bowl worthy; they just had an awful game at the worst time (not that they were a lock to win the SB had they gotten there, but they certainly were good enough to get there). The early ‘90s teams— specifically ‘90, 92, and ‘94— were good enough to win the conference, but they came up short in the playoffs and never had the answer for Buffalo in the post-season.

I feel you though the ‘85 team’s defense wasn’t good enough IMO. They got trampled by NEs run game in the AFC title game. The 90’s teams were good but not as good as the Bills who were a dynasty and loaded w great players up and down. Miami was 2nd best to them - but not good enough to beat them on a consistent basis. Ironically, the ‘93 season may have been the exception. We had beaten them pretty bad in their stadium, were 3-1 or 4-1 when Dan ruptured the Achilles and I feel we may have finally overtaken them for the conference but it just wasn’t meant to be.

 

[Teenwolf]

Agreed, 93 was the year it was meant to happen. We've had some rotten luck over the last 30 years

 

[Adam Strange]

Eh, I don’t think there was anything special about ‘93. In ‘92 we whipped Buffalo up there early in the season. Then they won both subsequent games in Miami, including the AFC championship. So I don’t put much stock in an early season win at Buffalo as indicative that the Dolphins had found a way to vanquish the Bills. That ‘93 Bills team was still good enough to win the conference

The real shame is the fact that the team lost in the divisional round of the ‘94 playoffs since they wouldn’t have had to deal with Buffalo at all en route to the Super Bowl.

 

[BlueFin]

Greatest pure "passer" in the history of the NFL. I suppose it's debatable, but I'm not sure who you would compare him to. The quick release, and pocket evasiveness was unreal. The velocity, and accuracy was second to none.

Having said that, I don't think he was the best "quarterback". IMO that has to go to Montana, or (I hate to admit it) Brady.

Not to make excuses for Dan...but he never had a complete team like Montana and Brady enjoyed multiple times in their careers.

The QB is the most important player in the ultimate team game...but it is a team game.

Dan’s legacy got further watered down by the 2007 passing rules changes that opened up the passing game...and led to most of his longstanding records falling.

What he did in the middle 80’s was unheard of...now Multiple QB’s do it all the time.

I know the difference...but history will largely forget it and praise these new guys as the best ever.

 

[royalshank]

Eh, I don’t think there was anything special about ‘93. In ‘92 we whipped Buffalo up there early in the season. Then they won both subsequent games in Miami, including the AFC championship. So I don’t put much stock in an early season win at Buffalo as indicative that the Dolphins had found a way to vanquish the Bills. That ‘93 Bills team was still good enough to win the conference

The real shame is the fact that the team lost in the divisional round of the ‘94 playoffs since they wouldn’t have had to deal with Buffalo at all en route to the Super Bowl.

I hear you though the ‘93 Bill’s were starting to tail off - it was their weakest team to go to the SB. They were still excellent but I think we could have taken them that year. We got to 9-2 without Dan - w Steve DeBerg out of retirement. And then injuries to Louis Oliver, Offerdahl and Troy Vincent ended any hopes as we dropped our last 5. I do think we could have gotten to the big game in ‘93 and that Dallas team was also beatable unlike the season prior. Our ‘94 team SHOULD have made it to the SB but that was Steve Young and SF’s year IMO.

Edit: I just realized that is the same year we beat Dallas on Turkey Day in the snow in Dallas. With Steve DeBerg who was like 100 years old. Losing our top 3 players on defense on top of the loss of Marino was just too much. We had the goods in ‘93 IMO.