Dan Marino

In the 1983 NFL draft, Marino was the 27th player drafted. It was a banner year for quarterback talent, and five other quarterbacks, including John Elway and Jim Kelly, were chosen before the Miami Dolphins picked Marino.

From the beginning, Marino and Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula hit it off. In his autobiography, Marino said he progressed rapidly because Shula forced him to call his own plays early on. Instead of relying on his coach, Marino had to learn to dissect the defense on his own. This forced Marino to study longer and play harder.

On October 9, Marino got his first pro start and completed 19 of 29 passes, including three touchdowns, in a 38-35 overtime loss to Buffalo. He set many NFL records that year, including highest completion percentage for a rookie (58.4) and lowest percentage of interceptions for a rookie (2.0). As the leading passer for the American Football Conference (AFC), Marino became the first rookie chosen to start at the Pro Bowl and was named The Sporting News Rookie of the Year.

The following year, 1984, proved spectacular for Marino as he set NFL single-season records for touchdown passes (48), passing yards (5,084), and completions (362). With Marino's help, the Dolphins went 14-2 and won the AFC championship. They headed to Super Bowl XIX, where they faced Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers on January 20, 1985. Marino drove the ball 318 yards by completing 29 of 50 passes, but the Dolphins still lost 38-16.

Marino's strong arm and fierce competitive nature made his team a perennial contender.

"What I always admired about Dan Marino was the fire about him," NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer said, according to ESPN. "Everybody talks about his quick release … But I always saw the fire in his eyes. When you played against him, you knew he would probably have a good day. You just hoped it wasn't enough to beat you."