How many of you thought Dan Marino left one season too late?

[phinfan2003]

I had the honor of watching Marino throughout his career and his last season was extremely hard to watch. My fondest memories of Marino were when he was stepping up in the pocket and just threading needles to his receivers left and right, watching the replays show how the dust would jump off the hands of the recievers because of the velocity Marino put on the ball, seeing Marino just perfectly place balls and asking myself how he could be so accurate. His last season made me feel sorry for him. He looked like an old man with all of those extra pads, the limp, the injuries, and playing in an offense with very limited talent. I had the honor to be at Marino's last home game which was a loss against the Jets (Ray Lucas was the qb for the Jets) thinking to myself how this was the end. I know we wanted him to play forever but he just wasn't the same. I didn't want him to play anymore because he would have looked like he was trying to hang onto something that wasn't there. Just being honest!

 

[Dredd1050]

I actually think he could've played 2 more seasons and was ushered out too early......for jay Fiedler. What a joke.

 

[byroan]

One season too late? I thought he should have stayed. We would have beat Oakland in the playoffs with Dan.

 

[MikeO]

He left more than 1 season too late. 97' should have been his final year in my opinion.

His last 2 years were painful. And if he and Miami split ties when JJ took over in 96', then this whole JJ-Shula-Marino drama would have never happened and I think all 3 would have been better off in the long-run.

 

[phinfan2003]

I actually think he could've played 2 more seasons and was ushered out too early......for jay Fiedler. What a joke.

Fiedler was definitely not the best option to replace Dan but when you've been used to seeing Dan have his way w/ defenses, it's hard to see him struggle like he did. He was able to overcome the lack of a running game when he was in his prime because we had the offensive weapons to put up points but at the end of his career, we didn't have much of anything on offense.

 

[popularwar]

I don't know if it was just the injury that last season or if his body was giving up on him but I couldn't stand to see him underthrow receivers. You saw it in his face too, that look where he knew that pass should have been thrown differently. I just recently saw the Miami-New England game from 1999 in which he played one drive and took himself out for Huard, that swagger Dan had just wasn't there. When we played the Seahawks in the playoffs that same year his shoulder was better but he was still missing receivers often, just not the same Dan from the highlight reels.

 

[FanMarino]

Ya opinion is ok with me pal. Dan was let down more by Jimmy Johnson IMO by taking away one of his many skills which was reading defenses and calling audibles when he saw fit. Johnson went the way of the run more. Dan wasnt going to go on forever. It was just ppl wanted to see Marino get that ring. Its a shame we didnt get to see Dan get to the promised land but boy it was one hell of a ride seeing a performer on the stage and shine like he did. For pure QB ability Dan was up there. Only downside of course was seeing Dan get less and less of the stats we knew and loved but i guess that came with age and injuries and playcalling!! (ala jimmy johnson!!)

 

[dlockz]

I think he could have still played , his last season he won player of the week twice before injury, he just got rushed back and was still a better Qb than Fielder.

 

[FanMarino]

Hey, at the end of all this lets be grateful we had him.

 

[GoonBoss]

At least one season...Probably 2. I'll catch heat probably, but, I really don't care, becasue nobody here knows anything about me, or how much I lived and died with the guy. His last two years were so painful. I couldn't get mad at the guy, but, still, it was clearly time for him to go. I think if he went to another team his last two years, he probably would've done better, just becasue he would have somthing to prove, and, a change of scenery, but, that doesn't change that he hung on too long.

I think, though, he left with nothing in the tank, and, IMO, that's when a true warrior should go. Pegging "E".

I sure miss that guy.

 

[Dredd1050]

Fiedler was definitely not the best option to replace Dan but when you've been used to seeing Dan have his way w/ defenses, it's hard to see him struggle like he did. He was able to overcome the lack of a running game when he was in his prime because we had the offensive weapons to put up points but at the end of his career, we didn't have much of anything on offense.

But JJ really handcuffed him. Having Marino on the field like was having the head coach out there, seeing a D and then creating a play specifically for that defensive alignment. JJ stopped the audibles. This stopped Marino.

 

[alb0bo]

I flew to Denver for the MNF game in his last year, he was still awsome that game, he even won the nfl offensive mvp that week. I love the way he commanded that game and during commercial breaks he would even be in the refs ear. I think he had another couple of years, that shot he took vs the colts causing the pinch nerve in his neck a few games after is what did him in, as well as Jimmy.

 

[Dol-Fan Dupree]

I think he pretty much retired on time

 

[phinfan2003]

But JJ really handcuffed him. Having Marino on the field like was having the head coach out there, seeing a D and then creating a play specifically for that defensive alignment. JJ stopped the audibles. This stopped Marino.

This is true. I think Marino's biggest weapons were his quick feet (in avoiding the rush and stepping into the pocket) and his cannon arm but with the injuries, it slowed him down IMO.

 

[DoctorFeelgood]

I think he could have still played , his last season he won player of the week twice before injury, he just got rushed back and was still a better Qb than Fielder.

Agreed, Dan could have easily played two more seasons, and would have still been better than Fielder. Would he have gotten his ring if he'd stayed? Who knows, but he was still capable of competing, for sure.