No one knows the pressures of quarterbacking the Miami Dolphins quite like Dan Marino. And, based on the passing records, the wins, the accolades and one gold jacket, no one has done it better. But Dan Marino is enjoying his opportunity to watch the new man in town, Tua Tagovailoa, try to step out of his shadow and help quarterback the Miami Dolphins to heights unreached in decades.
Serving as an advisor to the team, Marino is very much involved and on the pulse of everything going on within the organization. He’s very present at events such as the Senior Bowl each and every year — a chance to partake in the evaluation process and offer his perspective of the game. And during a new interview with Cameron Wolfe of ESPN, Marino has shared with the outside world what his inside track on everything about the Dolphins has provided: a strong vote of confidence for Tagovailoa.
Marino’s interview with Wolfe spans from Tagovailoa, the changes in NFL play, how defenses have evolved, an ongoing bid for a Super Bowl and knee replacements.
“He’s been great. He’s been awesome. He has all the talent in the world. Now it’s just about him developing the relationship with the other players. It’s been tough because he didn’t have OTAs last year, a lot of the summer camp or the chance to play in exhibition games. All those things delay you somewhat. I’ll tell you, he works his butt off. I’m really excited about him, his future and our future as a team.” — Dan Marino courtesy of Cameron Wolfe, ESPN
Marino as an athlete may still have more draw and star power than anyone in South Florida, especially on the gridiron. And his voice offers many fans the encouragement they need to buy-in on the 2021 season. Because Marino wasn’t shy that Tagovailoa has all the potential needed to do what even Marino couldn’t: win a championship.