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The Marino years: the Miami Dolphins story
Franchise era
1983—1999
The Marino years
Miami Dolphins
The story in one sentence
Marino shattered records immediately and kept Miami relevant for seventeen seasons, though his lone Super Bowl came in year two.
The quickest release in football rewrites passing
Dan Marino, Mark Clayton and Mark Duper gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for life after marino.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1983
What came before
Miami remained a regular contender and rode its defense through the strike-shortened 1982 postseason before drafting its next defining quarterback.
1985-01-06
Conference Championship: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Miami Dolphins
1985-01-20
Super Bowl: Miami Dolphins vs San Francisco 49ers
1986-01-04
Divisional Round: Cleveland Browns vs Miami Dolphins
After 1999
What came next
Elite defenders and brief offensive revivals produced occasional playoff teams without a lasting answer at quarterback.
The core