RAP Session

For all of the brilliant performances on the gridiron that he's provided, Sept. 4, 1994 will be the day I'll most remember from Dan Marino's career.

Coming off of a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in 1993 that snapped his streak of 145 consecutive games played, Marino suited up for the season opener against the New England Patriots at Joe Robbie Stadium, incredibly, with something to prove.

As amazing as it may seem, even then there were questions surrounding Marino's return. Many called for the veteran to step aside or be traded for "rising star" Scott Mitchell.

Personally, sitting in the stands that afternoon I worried that my football hero would not be able to answer the bell. Amidst the uncertainty, with the class and dignity that has marked his career, Marino stayed silent and took the field and let his play speak for itself.

That day Marino and Drew Bledsoe stood toe-to-toe in a classic quarterback duel, combining for over 900 yards passing and lighting up the scoreboard for 74 points.

Marino, for his part, went 23-for-42 for 473 yards and five touchdowns, giving the Dolphins a 39-35 victory on a 40-yard touchdown pass to Irving Fryer on fourth and 2 late in the final quarter.

The man with the golden arm had once again risen to the challenge, and he went on to earn his eighth Pro Bowl selection that season.

Now, zero championships and six years later, Marino must once again face the criticism.

By all accounts, including his own, Marino is coming off easily the worst year of his career--both statistically and emotionally.

For the first time in his storied career, Marino threw more interceptions than touchdowns in a season--12 vs. 17. His quarterback rating was a career-low 67.4. Throw in a career-threatening injury to his shoulder and spine that caused him to miss five starts, and you have yourself a tragedy season.

Marino holds every major single-season and career passing record the NFL has. He is a shoo-in vote for the Hall of Fame if there ever were one, and his position as one of the greatest to ever play the game is secure.

Of course, this does not make him immune to criticism, as he has quickly learned.

The pressure to call it a career has begun to resurface, and this time, naturally with more vigor. His quest for a title has almost universally been deemed futile, and more importantly, his ability to compete on the NFL level has come into question.

As someone who has watched virtually every game of Marino's career, there's no doubt in my mind that he can still get the job done.

Prior to his midseason injury Marino had thrown for six touchdowns against four interceptions, and the Dolphins were 3-1. He had just completed a spectacular come-from-behind road win over Indianapolis, and nary a critic could be found.

It was only after the injury that Marino's troubles started. In his first game back against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, Marino threw five interceptions in a 20-0 loss.

His arm strength was not there, and neither was his accuracy. He simply--by his own and former Miami Coach Jimmy Johnson's admission--came back too soon.

And when you add an anemic ground game that seems to have become the one certainty of the Miami offense--the Dolphins have had one 1,000-yard rusher since 1978--to a hobbled quarterback, you have a recipe for disaster.

Marino's performance, while poor, however, hardly proves he is unable to bounce back. After all Brett Favre's 23 interceptions and Green Bay's 8-8 record show what an injury can do. And Bledsoe's 21 interceptions against 19 touchdowns shows what can happen without a running game.

It is true that both Favre and Bledsoe are younger than Marino, but the circumstances surrounding their subpar seasons are eerily similar.

Combine those factors and a much less talented receiving corps and you have Marino's season in a nutshell.

Now it is obvious that Marino is no longer the player who once threw for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns in a single season, and there is no guarantee that after 17 seasons and at age 39, he will ever fully recover from his injury. Nonetheless, to write him off before he has a chance to rest and without letting him fight for the starting spot in summer camp would be both unwise and unfair.

Backup quarterback Damon Huard, while playing consistently in leading the Dolphins to a 5-1 record this year with Marino out, is still unproven as a starter in the NFL.

A healthy Marino, by most accounts, gives the Dolphins a much better chance to win.

The question that should be asked is not if he can still play, but whether or not he should play. It may not be worth it to Marino--who would return only to attain the elusive Super Bowl title--to play for a team that has little or no chance to win without major improvement in the running game and offensive line.

New coach Dave Wannstedt has promised to shake things up in the clubhouse, and the recent upheaval of the Dolphin coaching staff has shown that, at the very least, he will not maintain the status quo.

The next step for Wannstedt is the more important job of upgrading the talent, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

And with numerous players available through trade or free agency available, including Barry Sanders who recently purchased a house in South Florida, Miami may show a much different look in 2000.

Should the Dolphins upgrade the ground game, and build to win next year, it would be in the team's best interests to give Marino a shot to lead it.

Throughout his career, Marino has played his best when responding to criticism, and next year would provide similar motivation. And if the Dolphins are improved entering next season, he would likely want nothing more than to come back and give it one last run.

Should this be the case the Dolphins would be better served to let Marino compete for the job. Frankly, it would be a shame to not give the greatest passer the game has ever seen the chance to prove, yet again, that he can do the job.