Dan Marino

Dan

He had won all year, and had record-shattering numbers. But, all of that work became pointless, just like that. Everything fell apart and hopelessness was the only thing he could feel. The smell of defeat was in the air, and though the door to success was just inches from his reach, gold-miners from San Francisco were in his way and got to the door first.

I am talking about Dan Marino and the San Francisco 49ers, of course. Marino is hailed as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game, but first he had to overcome a crushing defeat in Super Bowl XIX in just his second year in the NFL. This is the story of that season, and what he did after it.

Dan

Dan Marino was starting the second season of his NFL career. He spent the last year as a backup during the first half of the season and an extraordinary rookie starter in the second half. During his second year he shattered six single-season passing records for a regular season. He was on a roll unlike any other, and made it to Super Bowl XIX to face the San Francisco 49ers. During the Super Bowl, the 49ers implemented a tricky defense that Marino was unable to pass. The 49ers ended up beating the Dolphins by 22, and Marino was left crushed.

Now most people would take a loss like that after a season like that really badly, but not Dan Marino. He continued to play and had a Hall-of-Fame career, although he never did win the Super Bowl.

What really makes him a hero, though, are his contributions off the field for children. He started the Dan Marino Foundation, which helps various children’s organizations for things like Autism and other problems. He used his good fortune to help children who weren’t as fortunate, and that is a true hero. Most people know about Dan Marino because of his football exploits, but his true heroism lies in his charity.