[1][2][3][4][5] Best remembered for his quick release and powerful arm, Marino helped the Dolphins become consistent postseason contenders, leading them to the playoffs ten times and one Super Bowl appearance in XIX, although a title victory ultimately eluded him during his career.

A nine-time Pro Bowl selection, six-time first (3) or second (3) team All-Pro, and All-AFC six times, Marino was voted NFL Rookie of the Year by Sporting News.

[11][12] His father delivered newspapers for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,[11] and Marino grew up on Parkview Avenue in the South Oakland neighborhood.

In the 1979 Major League Baseball draft, Marino was selected in the fourth round by the Kansas City Royals,[14] but decided to play college football instead.

As a freshman in 1979, Marino led the Panthers in a 24–17 triumph over West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl and a 29−14 win over longtime rival Penn State.

7 Georgia Bulldogs in the 1982 Sugar Bowl by throwing a game-winning pass to tight end John Brown with less than a minute remaining in the game.

The Pitt football team's fortunes and Marino's statistics dipped during his senior year, which saw the team transition from head coach Jackie Sherrill to new coach Foge Fazio, culminating in a 7–3 loss in the 1983 Cotton Bowl Classic to Southern Methodist University and their "Pony Express" of Eric Dickerson and Craig James.

[19] Marino's selection status in the 1983 NFL draft plummeted after his weaker senior season at Pitt[20] and rumors of recreational drug use.

[21] Five other quarterbacks—Ken O'Brien, Tony Eason, Todd Blackledge, and Hall of Famers Jim Kelly and John Elway—were drafted ahead of him in the first round.

[22] Opinion was divided on the wisdom of the team's decision; Chris Berman said that Shula was "the best", but Paul Zimmerman was skeptical of the coaching staff's ability to help Marino "overcome the problems he's had".

Marino led the league in completions, yards, and TD passes and the Dolphins finished with a 14–2 regular-season record, clinching home-field advantage for the playoffs.

In the Divisional round, the Dolphins avenged their playoff loss of the previous season to the Seattle Seahawks 31–10 behind Marino's 262 passing yards and 3 touchdowns.

In Super Bowl XIX, Marino and the Dolphins faced off against the San Francisco 49ers and Joe Montana in Palo Alto, California.

Marino again led the league in completions, yards and touchdown passes (the first and only QB in NFL history to lead in all three categories for three consecutive seasons) and was named 1986 first-team All-Pro.

In 1993, Miami was strongly favored at the start of the year to make it back to the AFC championship game and possibly the Super Bowl.

However, after throwing a swing pass at a game in Cleveland, Marino, who was untouched on the play, crumpled to the ground in pain with a torn Achilles tendon and was out for the season.

[36] Placing third overall in the AFC, Miami was pitted against the Kansas City Chiefs in what became the final NFL game played by Montana.

The Dolphins opened the 1999 season on September 13 at the defending Super Bowl champions Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.

[58] On Sunday, September 17, 2000 at halftime of the Dolphins-Baltimore Ravens game at Pro Player Stadium, Dan Marino's jersey number of 13 was retired.

On February 18, 2014, it was announced that Marino, along with Shannon Sharpe were being relieved of their duties as on-air commentators on The NFL Today and were being replaced by Tony Gonzalez and Bart Scott.

[64] In 1997, Marino became involved in a marketing role with Team Cheever of the Indy Racing League through FirstPlus Mortgage, the sponsor of the car.

In 1998, Marino co-owned a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing team with driver Bill Elliott, creating Elliott-Marino Motorsports.

The team failed to qualify for several races, but did post a top-5 finish at Phoenix International Raceway late in the season with Ted Musgrave driving.

Marino has teamed with other celebrities to raise awareness about autistic spectrum disorders, including fellow NFL quarterback Doug Flutie, whose son also has an autism diagnosis.

Marino acted in the 1994 comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective alongside Jim Carrey and Courteney Cox where he played himself.

Marino made a cameo appearance in the Adam Sandler film Little Nicky wherein he asked Satan for a Super Bowl ring.

He worked as a project consultant on Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday, and some observers noticed a resemblance between him and Dennis Quaid's character, Jack Rooney.

[70] Marino was featured in advertisement campaigns for Hooters, NutriSystem weight loss programs,[71] Maroone, Papa John's, Nutrasource.com, and Empi Select (a TENS device).

[72] Previously, Marino endorsed Isotoner gloves and FirstPlus Mortgage against whom he later filed suit due to contracts related to his racing team.

A video game featuring Marino's likeness and sponsorship, similar to John Madden Football, was announced for the Sega Genesis at CES 1993.