Every legend has a beginning, and Dan Marino’s just happened to be in a 1984 debut start against the Buffalo Bills. Reflecting back on his rookie mistakes (two interceptions in the first two series), who would of ever imagined Dan Marino would set as many passing records as he did for 15 more seasons since his initial start. Hall-of-Fame Head Coach Don Shula guided Marino by telling him “to prepare as if he was going to be the starter and to be ready for whenever that moment arrived.”
First round draft-pick Ryan Tannehill wasn’t the first rookie quarterback to struggle in his first game, and he certainly won’t be the last. Ryan Tannehill finished Week 1 with three interceptions, a 55.6% completion rate, and approximately 6.1 yards per passing attempt. The Dolphins didn’t seem all that high on Tannehill, especially after the rookie only managed to register 36 total pass attempts in Week 1.
Dan Marino offers Tannehill a little piece of advice, “You’ve got to have a short memory.” Marino has grown a liking to the young quarterback, and he admires his height and presence in the pocket. The Marino co-sign could pay dividends to a Dolphins association desperately trying to settle with a stable quarterback. Marino was one of the biggest players of his era, but he had set that goal early on in his rookie season. Marino’s team knew that they couldn’t win games if he was unable to come through in the clutch. The Dolphins coaching staff could learn a thing or two off Marino’s words of encouragement, considering Tannehill was the first quarterback taken in the first round by the Dolphins since Dan Marino.
Source: Miami Dolphins
