Did Dan Marino retire with the Lions?

[JWL]

from the Miami Dolphins website-

"The Miami Dolphins today announced they will re-sign quarterbacks Bob Griese and Dan Marino, wide receiver Nat Moore, guard Larry Little, defensive end/linebacker Kim Bokamper and cornerback Sam Madison. Each player will sign contracts and officially retire as members of the Miami Dolphins."


Did I miss something? Did Dan Marino sign with the Detroit Lions one time and retire with them? Hmm.

Hmmm.

Yes.


I think maybe he did. The Lions maybe even traded Germane Crowell to Miami just so they could have a silly little press conference where Marino could retire as a Lion.

Oh, and that's right! I remember when Bob Griese signed with the Jets to be the backup to Ken O'Brien in 1986. So it does make sense that the Dolphins would bother with this silly "retire with us" dog and pony show.

I also do remember when Kim Bokamper tried to make a comeback with the 1996 Broncos.

So, yeah, this all makes sense now. Nothing to see here. Please move along.

[Jeremy Crowhurst]

If they are officially retiring as Dolphins, does that mean they'll all be officially eligible for re-induction to the Hall of Fame in six years?

[Reaser]

I saw this yesterday. I got it but the hype about it seemed a bit much.

In the other direction, it sort of reminded me of when the Steelers released Bettis off their reserve/retired list a couple years back.

[JWL]

. . . I got it . . .

If getting it means thinking that the Dolphins created goodwill and had some decent publicity in the dead time of February and made those former players a little more happy, then we all probably get it.

Beyond that, I really don't get it.

Maybe some dopey Dolphins fans are excited about this news. "Dadgummit, I've been waiting for Bob Griese to get a proper retirement press conference for over 30 years now. This is great. I can't wait to read a two paragraph article on this tomorrow. The 6:00 news might even spend 18 seconds on this tomorrow night!"

I find this practice to be excessively lame even when the player in question had finished his career elsewhere. I think the 49ers did this with Ronnie Lott. The Jets maybe did this with Victor Green. There are many examples.

As a Jets fan, it made me all warm inside when Victor Green retired as a Jet. Well, I think it happened. If it wasn't him, then it was some other guy. Actually, it didn't make me feel all warm inside. My reaction was more of a figurative rolling of the eyes.

But when the guy never played elsewhere? C'mon! What is being accomplished with this nonsense?

Did Marino not retire with the Dolphins at some point? Did I miss something along the way?

Random Voice Guy: Umm, sir, Dan Marino did not retire properly. He lost a playoff game 62-14 and that was it. Nothing was said. He quietly filled out his retirement papers. The Dolphins said and did nothing. It was kind of like Rich Kotite leaving the Jets. He wasn't fired. He didn't quit. It just, like, ended and stuff. Marino finally officially retired this week, here in 2017. Deal with it.

Oh, okay.

[Reaser]

Did Marino not retire with the Dolphins at some point? Did I miss something along the way?

Marino - and the rest of the players - retired as Free Agents. Not with the Dolphins. Hence, this entire thing.

That's why I "got it", and made the example with Bettis which was the complete opposite since he retired with the Steelers and a decade later they released him.

[JWL]

Did Marino not retire with the Dolphins at some point? Did I miss something along the way?

Marino - and the rest of the players - retired as Free Agents. Not with the Dolphins. Hence, this entire thing.

That's why I "got it", and made the example with Bettis which was the complete opposite since he retired with the Steelers and a decade later they released him.

So my joke that Marino's time in Miami just ended quietly and there was no fanfare whatsoever was an actual thing?

[Andrew McKillop]

So my joke that Marino's time in Miami just ended quietly and there was no fanfare whatsoever was an actual thing?

No, they had a press conference and everything. His number was also soon retired in a big halftime ceremony in Week 3 of the 2000 season.

Marino did have an offer to QB the Vikings in 2000. It's too bad that never happened. I think Marino would've had a Pro Bowl season with the offensive talent on the Vikings that year.

[Reaser]

So my joke that Marino's time in Miami just ended quietly and there was no fanfare whatsoever was an actual thing?

Remember the rumors of going to the Steelers and the Vikings offer? He was a FA, then he chose to retire instead of keep playing. He wasn't under contract with the Dolphins. He officially retired as a free agent. That explains it.

Whether or not one-day contracts -immediately after a player retires or in this case way after- are nonsense or not is a different discussion. I think it's completely unnecessary but as I said, I "got it".

But no, he wasn't under contract with the Dolphins, then retired, and now signs a one-day contract to re-retire under contract with the Dolphins.

He voided his deal with Miami. Was a free agent. Then retired.

[JWL]

Second time I did a joke thread in the past 15 months and regretted doing it after viewing the responses. Oh well.

[JuggernautJ]

Don't regret it.
I didn't know Marino was a "Free Agent" when he retired so I learned something.
Thanks.