On This Date in Sports December 2, 1984: Marino Milestones
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins sets the single-season record for touchdown passes when he connects with Jimmy Cefalo on a four-yard pass in the first quarter. Marino would add three more touchdowns, but it is not enough as the Dolphins suffer a 45-34 loss to the Los Angeles Raiders at the Orange Bowl. Marino would finish the season with 48 touchdowns and 5,084 yards, both setting new records.
Dan Marino was born on September 15, 1961, in Pittsburgh. Playing high school and college in his backyard, he was expected to be among the top players chosen in the 1983 NFL Draft. However, a disappointing senior season, his draft stock plummeted. Marino would be drafted with the 27th overall pick but was the sixth quarterback chosen in the first round.
Dan Marino had a solid rookie season with Miami, as he was named to the AFC Pro Bowl team. His second season would be off the charts, becoming and posting perhaps the greatest individual season in NFL history. Marino’s 1984 season saw him shatter nearly all single-season passing records as he led Miami to a 14-2 record and an appearance in Super Bowl XIX.
Dan Marino’s record-shattering season began with 311 yards and five touchdowns in a 35-17 win over the Washington Redskins at RFK Stadium. He later had games of 429 yards against the St. Louis Cardinals, and 422 yards against the New York Jets as the Dolphins won their first 11 games. The fewest yards Marino had was 192 in Week 13 against the New York Jets. It was in that game that he tied the record for touchdowns in a season with 36. The record had been jointly held by George Blanda, set with the Houston Oilers in 1961 and Y.A. Tittle set with the New York Giants in 1963.
It would not take Dan Marino long to break the record as he found Jimmy Cefalo in the end zone on a four-yard pass in the first quarter to tie the game 7-7. The Raiders and Dolphins would battle back and forth that afternoon at the Orange Bowl, as Marino had a season-high 470 yards through the air. The game would not end in the Dolphins’ favor as they lost to the Los Angeles Raiders 45-34. Marino would add three more touchdown passes, becoming the first player in NFL history to reach 40 touchdown passes in a season.
Dan Marino would throw four touchdown passes in each of his last four games to finish the season with 48 touchdown passes. In addition, he became the first quarterback to pass for over 5,000 yards in a season, finishing with 5,048 yards as he was named NFL MVP. The previous record for 4,804 yards in a season was set by Dan Fouts of the San Diego Chargers.
Dan Marino’s records each would last two decades, as his touchdown record was topped by Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts in 2004 while his yards record was beaten by Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints in 2011.