Success is not always the only way to stand out. One of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Dan Marino is one of the few NFL legends who have cemented a legacy without winning a Super Bowl ring.
Marino had an impressive 147-93 record as starter, spending all of his 17 seasons in the National Football League in the same city: Miami . He was able to lead his team to the playoffs, but the Vince Lombarditrophy has always been elusive.
The closest he got to the promised land was in 1985, losing to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XIX. Many wondered whether his loyalty to the Dolphins cost him the chance of winning a ring, and even Marino admitted he thought about going after that feat elsewhere.
Dan Marino admits thinking about leaving Miami to chase Super Bowl ring
“Yes, I definitely thought about it to be honest with you,” Marino told Mackenzie Salmon of USA Today’s Sports Seriously. “I played 17 years for the Dolphins and they were kind of going in a new direction with a new coach, and I had offers to go play other places and really thought about it, and maybe had a chance to win a championship like Matthew [Stafford] has done.
“I thought about it for a long time; it just didn’t feel right. I just decided I’ll just be a Dolphin for life and it’s worked out great. But I did, I will tell you that. I did think about that.”
The Vikings and Steelers have approached Marino, but he preferred not to break his commitment with the Dolphins. It may be a shame that a player of his caliber didn’t get to taste the ultimate glory, but the fact that he stayed loyal to one team speaks volumes about his greatness.