Dan Marino is likely one of the best quarterbacks in NFL historical past. Over his 17-year profession with the Miami Dolphins, he threw for 61,361 yards and 420 touchdowns. Whereas Marino spent his entire profession in Miami, he’s from Pittsburgh, a slight sore spot for some Steelers followers. The Steelers had the chance to draft Marino however as an alternative selected Texas Tech DT Gabe Rivera. That call haunted them for years. Nonetheless, analyst Pete Prisco isn’t positive Marino would’ve had the identical success had he performed for his hometown group.
“If Dan Marino had ended up in Pittsburgh enjoying quarterback for the Steelers, relatively than enjoying within the circumstances in south Florida and Miami, he would have been a wholly completely different quarterback,” Prisco mentioned Tuesday on the two Execs and a Cup of Joe podcast.
It’s true that Miami and Pittsburgh have vastly completely different climate. Throughout soccer season, the Steelers get a superb style of winter. Additionally they usually take care of ugly circumstances earlier than winter begins, with rain and chilly plaguing them. Their stadium being proper subsequent to a river doesn’t assist with that, both. Oftentimes, it takes a strong-armed quarterback to succeed with the Steelers.
Nonetheless, Marino was born and raised in Pittsburgh. He performed 4 years of school soccer on the College of Pittsburgh. At that time, he was most likely used to western Pennsylvania climate. Additionally, Marino had among the best arms within the historical past of soccer. He had the instruments to be simply as profitable with the Steelers as he was with the Dolphins.
Prisco doesn’t consider that’s true, although.
“He would have been completely different,” he mentioned. “Go take a look at his numbers at Pitt. They weren’t as nice as you assume they have been.”
In 4 years at Pitt, Marino threw for 7,905 yards, 74 touchdowns, and 64 interceptions. He additionally tried over 1,000 passes. Are these excellent numbers? No, however think about that Marino performed there from 1979-1982. The sport was utterly completely different then, particularly in school.
Evaluate Marino’s stats to these of John Elway, who was the primary general decide in the identical draft as Marino. Elway threw for 9,349 yards, 77 touchdowns, and 39 interceptions. Nonetheless, he additionally tried nearly 200 extra passes than Marino. Subsequently, their numbers aren’t as far aside as they appear to be.
Elway’s numbers are higher, but it surely’s not like Marino was withering away at Pitt. He was nonetheless ok to be a first-round decide, and ultimately, he constructed a profession ok to get enshrined within the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.
For what it’s value, Marino thinks not enjoying for the Steelers was good for him, however not for a similar causes that Prisco suggests. Leaving house pressured him to mature. Maybe staying in Pittsburgh would’ve damage his profession, however the climate probably wouldn’t have been an issue.