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John Elway, Jim Kelly, Todd Blackledge, Dan Marino and Boomer Asian all started their National Football League careers in 1983. They are known today as the great quarterback club of 1983. Arguably, the greatest class of quarterbacks ever drafted. There has not been a single NFL draft, prior or since, that has produced such talent at this position.
Some of these quarterbacks had immediately success; some had it later in their careers. In a profession where the average career spans less than three years, two of these quarterbacks were still in the game more than fourteen years later. Dan Marino and John Elway had defied the odds, and along the way, re-wrote the record books. Two great quarterbacks, with different quarterbacking styles, but with similar standout college careers. Both entered the professional ranks with the same goal, to win the Superbowl. Heres a look at the two quarterbacks and their quest for a Superbowl ring.
Marino attended the University of Pittsburgh where in four seasons he completed 693 of 1, 204 passes for 8, 597 yards and 79 touchdowns. Marino graduated as the Schools recorded-holder in passing yards for a season (2, 876) and career passing yards (8, 597). Marino was one of only four players at the University of Pittsburgh to have his jersey retired. Marino finished his college career ranked fourth on the NCAA all-time passing list; fifth in passing yards, fourth in completions and fourth in touchdown passes. Elway attended Stanford University. His college career concluded with five major NCAA Division 1 -A records and nine major Pac- 10 marks.
Elway completed 774 of 1, 243 passes for 9, 349 yards and 77 touchdowns. As a senior, Elway finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting while setting virtually every Pac- 10 and Stanford, career record for total offence and passing. Dan Marino stands six-foot, four-inches tall and weights two hundred and twenty-eight pounds. John Elway stands six-foot three-inches tall and weights two hundred and fifteen-pounds. Physically similar in height and weight, both played collegiate football and semi pro-baseball. Either one of them could have chosen to play profession baseball instead of football.
Elway threatened to do just that in 1983 when he was drafted by the last place Baltimore Colts. When the Colts learned of Elway's plans they quickly traded him to the Denver Broncos where he spent his entire career. The Miami Dolphins drafted Marino out of college, and while he had a life long dream to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers, he chose to stay with the team that drafted him. Marino never played for any other team in his professional career. Marino and Elway had completely different styles. Marino was known as a pocket quarterback.
Marino threw the ball with a quick release, hard and fast. Elway was a scramble quarterback, rolling out and running for yardage when there wasnt an open receiver. In Marino's first season in the NFL he was an instance success. He threw twenty touchdown passes, achieved a quarterback rating of 96. 0, was named rookie of the year and was the first rookie quarterback to start in the Pro Bowl. Elway's start was not so impressive. After being the first player chosen in the draft and coming to the NFL as the most publicized prospect since Joe Namath, he was replaced after just ten games and ranked 17 th among AFC passers.
In 1984, Marino led the NFL in pass attempts, completions, yards, average gain per pass attempt, touchdowns and pass efficiency rating. The New York Time and CBS named Marino the most popular pro football player in Americas. Marino also led his team to the Superbowl in 1984. A game they lost to the San Francisco 49 ers. In 1984, Elway was also coming into his own in the NFL, completing 214 of 380 passes for 2, 598 yards, with 18 touchdowns and finished third on the team in rushing with 237 yards. The two great quart backs careers ended quit differently however.
Elway's career had a storybook ending, leading his team to two Superbowl's the final two seasons of his career and winning both of them. Elway choose to retired after the 1997, season leaving his fans chanting for a three-peat. Marino's career ended in 1999 after his team was romped by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Conference final. Marino, who started fast in his NFL career, never reached the Superbowl again after the 1984 season and while he holds nearly every NFL passing record that matters, he never won a Superbowl ring. Elway who started slow in the NFL, proved his critics wrong and holds two of the rings that were ever so coveted by Dan Marino. Bibliography:
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