Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino on the field before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium last season. Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Marino Throwing Again (For One Day)

Originally posted on Miami Dolphins on SI
By Alain Poupart | Last updated Mar 27, 2025 7:17 PM ET

As some Miami Dolphins fans might know, long before Dan Marino became a Hall of Fame quarterback, he was a pretty good baseball player.

Good enough, in fact, to be selected in the Major League Baseball draft after going 23-0 as a pitcher at Central Catholic High in Pittsburgh.

Marino was back on the mound Thursday to signal the beginning of the Miami Marlins' 2025 season with the ceremonial first pitch.

Right down the middle for the @MiamiDolphins legend pic.twitter.com/qL5kBiHwNY
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) March 27, 2025

And, appropriately enough, the man chosen to catch that pitch was South Florida media personality Joe Rose, who more pertinently was on the receiving end of Marino's first NFL touchdown pass on a Monday night against the Los Angeles Raiders in 1983.

Along with his pitching record, Marino played shortstop at Central Catholic and he was a fourth-round pick of the Kansas City Royals, but bypassed a baseball career in favor of playing football at the University of Pittsburgh.

The rest, of course, is history.

Marino is among many famous NFL quarterbacks with a baseball background, a group that includes Patrick Mahomes, John Elway and Tom Brady.

Marino played for the Dolphins from 1983 through 1999 and ended his career holding NFL all-time records for passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions and attempts.

He remains with the organization as a special advisor to the vice chairman, president and CEO.

The 25-year anniversary of his retirement happened exactly two weeks ago.