Lando 
Posted on 07/21/2005 5:02:57 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) Hall of Fame-bound Dan Marino says he retired five years ago only after rejecting an offer to play for his hometown team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
When his 17-year career with the Miami Dolphins ended with the 1999 season, Marino turned down a well-publicized offer from the Minnesota Vikings. On Thursday, Marino said he also was approached by other teams, including the Steelers and coach Bill Cowher.
``I had a chance to go to Pittsburgh,'' Marino said. ``I don't think anybody knew that. ... Cowher called me about playing, but I had to make a decision within a couple of days, because he already had a guy that he was going to sign.''
Instead, the Pittsburgh native 38 years old and hampered by injuries decided against playing in 2000.
``At the time, I just kept thinking back to how my body felt the year before,'' he said. ``And to me there was something special about playing 17 years in one place. Although I was pretty close to doing it, it just didn't feel right. I probably could have played another year, no doubt.''
The most prolific passer in NFL history, Marino will be inducted Aug. 7 into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Don Shula paid tribute during a telephone conference call Wednesday and in the process took a shot at his successor as Dolphins coach, Jimmy Johnson. Shula, unable to contain his disdain for Johnson, bristled when asked if Marino benefited from having only two coaches.
``You mean he had one coach,'' Shula said. ``Look at the numbers. They speak for themselves.''
During 13 years with Shula, Marino averaged 28 touchdown passes per season, and Miami had a winning percentage of .614, plus six playoff victories. Throwing less often in his four years under Johnson, Marino averaged 17 touchdown passes per season, and Miami had a winning percentage of .563, plus two playoff wins.
In the wake of Shula's remark, Marino was asked if things would have been different had he played his entire career under the Hall of Fame coach.
``How did I know that was going to come up?'' Marino said with a chuckle. ``Would it have been different? Who knows? Coach Shula was an incredible influence on my career and a guy I respect very much, and I'm real excited that he's going to be there (in Canton) in two weeks.''
Sure it does - football is a team game. Individual players don't win championships, teams do.
As comes up every thread, put Tom Brady on a bottom dweller and see how many superbowls he wins.
Are you sure it wasn't Tom Brady that picked that ball off? :-) To many he is only player on that team.
According to many in these threads, that makes Barry Sanders inferior to Timmy Smith and Marino inferior to Trent Dilfer.
Two things that people forget: A lot of teams had somewhat soured on Marino by the time the draft rolled around. He had had a mediocre senior year (compared with his junior year). Some thought he had small hands for an NFL quarterback (don't know where that came from). There were whispers of drug use at Pitt (unfounded as it turned out). In a year when five QB's were picked in the first round, he was the last on the five.
And who did the Steelers pick that year? DT Gabe Rivera from Texas Tech. Had he not had his auto accident, Rivera would have been a GREAT player. The Raiders wanted him in the worst way. I remember seeing video of him the night he was picked. Unbelieveable! 290 pounds and he could run like a deer. On the video, I saw him chase a QB down the sidelines, catch him from behind, grab him in a bearhug, and squash him like a bug. John Steigerwald called him one of the most exciting picks the Steelers had made in years. He looked great in the preseason. He had this knack for collapsing the middle of the line with a power bull rush, and then, even if he didn't reach the QB, timing his jump just right to defect the pass. He must have done that 3-4 times during the preseason.
Rivera was one of the biggest "what ifs" in Steeler history. He and Anthony Anderson. Remember him? Runningback. Temple. Look it up.
Johnson tried to apply the same plan he started with 11 top picks with the Cowboys and apply them to the Dolphins. You can't do that with a talent like Marino and no HOF running back.
Well of the Pack would have had Sanders, they may not have traded to get Farve from the Falcons....
Barry would have made anyone look good. I mean he extended Scott Mitchell's career by 3 years!!
Lando
yeah...it would have been good.
But I think eventually one or the other would have left, because Both are great, but neither would have been AS GREAT as they were alone I don't believe...
I think it's the only one since they won their last championship in 1957.
I think he was more like 95% of their offense.
No but he did make a great throw to convert a third down deep in his own territory to keep what turned out to be the game clinching drive going.
It would have been another Packer dynasty.
I still can't believe Detroit gave him all that money.
So glad that Dan decided against playing for the Vikings. Just can't stand those purple people eaters!! It would have been interesting to see what he could have done with the Steelers.
as a Bears fan - I wish to hell he'd made the Black & Gold move in '85....
I bleed silver and blue. I used to hate seeing Detroit on the Dallas schedule. It just boggled my mind how Sanders could gain 4 yards and a first down just by being tackled.
Anybody remember the DB that got stuck in the carpet gaps at the old Vets stadium and destroyed his legs when Barry put that "shake" on him? I know that the collapse of his legs brought on by the turf was horrific but that still stands out in my mind as quintessential Sanders. That poor guy just melted when Sanders made his move.
Marino had a lot of talent, but he didn't have what it takes. Plenty of QBs have arm strength, etc., but that doesn't necessarily make them championship QBs.
Never the tops, but always on my list of favorite teams. My faves were Barry, Billy Sims, and "Bubba" Baker.
But we lose to the 2-14 teams. Tampa Bay (pre Dungy), etc.
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