Dan Marino biography

Synopsis

Early Years

Heralded as one of the great NFL quarterbacks of all-time, Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on September 15, 1961. The oldest of Daniel and Veronica Marino's three children, and the couple's only son, Marino grew up in a working class neighborhood, where his father delivered newspapers for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

A devoted Pittsburgh Steelers fans, Marino went on to become an All-American quarterback at Central Catholic High School. His big arm also made him a top talent baseball pitcher, prompting the Kansas City Royals to draft Marino in 1978. But Marino had his heart set on football and turned the club and its $35,000 signing bonus down.

In 1979, Marino enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh, where midway through his freshman year, he became the team's starting quarterback. Marino turned in a stellar college career over the next several seasons, setting NCAA passing records for career attempts, completions, yardage and touchdowns.

Hurt by rumors of unproven drug use, Marino's stock fell in the 1983 draft, allowing him to land in the hands of the Miami Dolphins, whose famed coach Don Shula selected the QB with the 27th overall selection.

Pro Career

While five other quarterbacks were taken ahead of him, Marino proved to be the best of all of them, and one of the all-time greats. In his rookie year, Marino threw for 20 touchdowns, guided the Dolphins to a 12-4 record, and became the first rookie to start at QB in the Pro Bowl. In addition, he was named the NFL's Rookie of the Year.

The following season, 1984, was Marino's finest, and one of the greatest ever by an NFL quarterback. That year, Marino threw for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns, both single season records at the time, while also setting new NFL marks for completions with 362. That same year he led the Dolphins to the Super Bowl, where the club lost to the Joe Montana-led San Francisco 49ers, 38-16.

While a championship would elude him, Marino molded himself into one of the league's most prolific passers over the course of his 17-year-career, setting NFL records in career passing totals (61,361 yards), attempts (8,358), completions (4,967) and touchdowns (420).

Marino retired from football in 2000. Five years later, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 2003, he joined the on-air crew of the CBS program The NFL Today. 

Recent News

In early 2013, Marino confirmed reports that he had fathered a child with Donna Savattere, a former CBS Sports production assistant, in June 2005, while married to Claire (Veazey) Marino (he and Veazey wed in 1985). Marino's daughter with Savattere, Chloe Savattere, has reportedly been raised by Savattere and her husband, Nahill Younis.

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