Dan Marino is a legend of the game, but the former quarterback believes he could have been much more in today’s game. Marino genuinely believes he has the potential to even upstage what top quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow have done. Of course, those quarterbacks are earning some serious money with Burrow inking a 5-year, $275 million deal recently and Mahomes on a $450 million contract.
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Marino was on air with Kevin Clark via ESPN, and he spoke about how he would have loved to play against today’s defenses. He knows how the game has evolved to be more quarterback and pass-friendly, and he wishes he could get on the field. Dan Marino knows that he doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone now, so he floated a number out there regarding how many passing yards he’d go for now. Needless to say, the comment section of the post had many opinions.
Dan Marino Claims He Could Hit 6,000 Yards
Marino had some great seasons with the Dolphins. He was the former NFL QB GOAT. He won the MVP, made several Pro Bowls, and held the majority of the passing records at the time he finished his career. He never won a title, but the talent he had was unmatched.
Currently, the NFL passing records are mostly held by Tom Brady, but there is one record he doesn’t hold. Peyton Manning set the record for most passing yards in a season with 5,477 in 2013.
Marino believes that if he played today, he’d smash Manning’s record. Marino claimed that he would throw for 6,000 yards if he was on the field today.
The legendary quarterback acknowledged that defenses have become more complex with the way they use different blitzes and coverage schemes, but he still fundamentally believes in his abilities as a passer to come in and dominate.
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The comment section had mixed replies. Many pointed out the fact Marino was doing unbelievable things when he was on the field at a time when the passing game was nowhere near as relevant as it is now. They pointed out how he threw over 40 touchdowns in two seasons and had a 5,000-yard passing season too.
Other fans claimed that this was just another old athlete trying to stay relevant in today’s game. Currently, the best quarterbacks in the game are Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow.
They haven’t eclipsed Manning’s record, nor even come close to throwing for 6,000 yards even with the addition of a game to the NFL’s regular season. Therefore, Marino believes he’d be better than the top dogs in today’s game.
Shannon Sharpe Backs Up Marino
While fans were divided on Marino’s take, there was another NFL legend who was ready to back him up. Shannon Sharpe commented “He ain’t lying” on the post, showing his support.
Shannon Sharpe and Dan Marino’s careers overlapped, so Sharpe definitely knows what he’s talking about. They never played together, but they faced off several times as AFC rivals. If Sharpe believes that Marino could throw for 6,000 yards right now, then maybe the former quarterback’s statements don’t seem so out of pocket.
