Greatest NFL MVPs: 1984 Dan Marino

On the way to winning the NFL MVP title in 1984, Dan Marino had one of the most remarkable seasons by a quarterback in NFL history. Marino led the Miami Dolphins to a 14-2 regular-season record and a spot in the Super Bowl.

If Dan Marino played today he’d rewrite every goddamn passing record in the book. The man passed for 5000 yards in 1984. That’s at least 6000 yards today if not more. Truth.

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Marino would start the season with a remarkable performance against the Washington Redskins, completing 21 of 28 passes for 311 yards and 5 passing touchdowns, recording an incredible 150.4 passer rating for the game.

September 2, 1984
#Dolphins #Washington
Week 1 from RFK.
Dan Marino kicks off his legendary 1984 season on 🔥 throwing 5 TD’s.
Washington drive includes an Art Monk (3-54) catch, Mosley misses the FG attempt
#1984DolphinsWashingtonThread https://t.co/qQ9LPL4TKL

One of Marino's most memorable games of the season came in Week 7 when the Dolphins faced off against the Houston Oilers. In that game, Marino threw for 321 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading the Dolphins to a 28-10 victory. He also had a passer rating of 139.7, which was one of the highest of his career.

Another memorable game for Marino came in Week 16, when the Dolphins faced off against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In that game, Marino threw for 421 yards and 4 touchdowns, leading the Dolphins to a 34-13 victory. He also had a passer rating of 135.4.

Dan Marino's greatest season

Marino's 1984 NFL MVP season was one of the most impressive in NFL history. He threw for 5,084 yards, 48 touchdowns, and only 17 interceptions. He also had a passer rating of 108.9, which was the highest of his career.

He broke several records that season, most touchdown passes in a single season, most passing yards in a single season, and most games with at least 4 touchdown passes in a single season. He threw for over 400 yards in 5 games and was the first player to throw for over 5000 yards in a single season. Unfortunately, for him, the Dolphins were defeated by the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl with a score of 38-16.

In another of his most famous plays in the 1994 season, Marino deceived both the defense and the majority of his own team by pretending to spike the ball to stop time. Marino instead went for it and connected with Mark Ingram for the game-winning 8-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown capped the Dolphins' incredible comeback from a 24-6 deficit.

The NFL's all-time leading passer and the sixth quarterback chosen in the 1983 draft, Marino retired after the 1999 season. He threw for more than 61,000 yards and 420 touchdowns thanks to his lightning-quick release and powerful right arm. Marino, a five-time league champion in passing, is widely recognized as the best pure passer in league history.

Despite never winning a Super Bowl, Marino was awarded NFL MVP, NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and first-team All-Pro three times throughout his 16-year career.