Disarming

Quarterback Dan Marino, one of the nice guys of professional sports and one of the NFL’s greatest passers, passed into history here Monday, retiring after a 17-year career.

“I’m going to miss it,” said Marino, often near tears during a 30-minute news conference at the training complex of the Miami Dolphins, the only team for which he ever played.

“I’m going to miss everything about it,” Marino told more than 200 news media representatives and a live television audience watching his farewell over CNN.

“I’m going to miss the relationships with the players, I’m going to miss the fans, I’m going to miss the great friends I have made--all the good times we’ve had together. But most of all I’m going to miss Sunday afternoons.”

At 38, Marino had been tempted to return for one more season after the Minnesota Vikings offered to gamble that the quarterback’s right arm could win out over his two wobbly knees. Or Marino might have hung on with the Dolphins, although new Coach Dave Wannstedt has indicated that he is looking for more mobility in his quarterback.

The announcement of Marino’s retirement was short and tinged with sadness, in part because of his increasingly strained relationship with Dolphin management.

The Dolphins were beaten in the second round of the playoffs last winter under fourth-year coach Jimmy Johnson, who resigned after a frustrating season in which he had threatened to bench Marino and on occasion publicly criticized him.

Marino admitted that he struggled with the decision to retire, especially since he leaves the game without having won a Super Bowl, the only blemish on an otherwise sterling resume that makes the Pittsburgh native a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame.

In a career that began as the 27th pick in the 1983 draft from Pitt--he was chosen after five other quarterbacks--Marino holds records for most touchdown passes, 420; completions, 4,967; passes thrown, 8,358, and yardage, 61,361, which comes to 34.9 miles.

Marino was selected for the Pro Bowl nine times, but led his team to the Super Bowl only once, in 1984 when the Dolphins lost to the San Francisco 49ers, 38-16.

As much as he wanted to continuing playing, Marino said that recent injuries played a large part in his decision. He missed five games last season because of a nerve injury in his neck. And for the first time, he also threw more interceptions than touchdowns.

“This has been the toughest month of my life,” he said. “It kept coming back to how my legs felt, my neck injury, not knowing whether I was going to be able to throw the football.”

Marino said his wife Claire and their five children “wanted me to play, to be honest with you. It was my decision--a family decision and a health decision.”

Among those present for Marino’s announcement were team owner Wayne Huizenga, several current and former Dolphin players, and longtime coach Don Shula, who praised his former star as “the greatest competitor among the 2,000 athletes I have coached. His will and determination are legendary, and I’ve never been around someone who wants to win as much as Dan.”

Said Huizenga, “Nobody did it better than you. You are the greatest quarterback ever.”

He added that Marino’s No. 13 would be retired, and a statue of him erected outside Pro Player Stadium on a street named in his honor.

Among those not present was Johnson.

Outside the gates of the training facility north of Miami, a group of about 30 Marino fans, many sporting the team’s orange and teal colors, demonstrated their regard for the star with signs and chants. And many were critical of Dolphins management and Wannstedt.

“They didn’t give Dan a fair shake,” said Sandy Grone, 61, of Vero Beach, wearing a T-shirt imprinted with a snapshot of herself with Marino. “They certainly let him know that they didn’t want him back.”

Marino and his wife are well known for their works of charity in south Florida, especially their involvement with autistic children. One of the couple’s children is autistic.

And although he has been mentioned as a candidate for one of several television network television jobs, he said he had nothing lined up.

“I have been blessed with a career greater than I could ever have imagined,” he said. “It’s been great. Thank you very much.”

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MARINO BY THE NUMBERS

61,361: Career passing yards, NFL record

420: Career touchdown passes, NFL record

5,084: Passing yards in one season (1984), NFL record

48: Touchdown in one season (1984), NFL record