A look at Miami Dolphins curses

Sep 21, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Dan Marino prior to the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

The curse of Dan Marino

Dan Marino is, like Shula, a legend in the NFL and in Miami where even today he is one of the most revered figures in Miami sports history. Yet for all Marino could do on the field, he couldn’t get the team back to the Super Bowl. Marino made only one appearance in the big game but at the time of his retirement he led the NFL in almost every passing category that was kept by the league.

Marino didn’t want to retire. He was not at the pinnacle of his career when he left the field but he was still Dan Marino and he could still play at a high level. You could argue that Marino was better when he retired than Peyton Manning is today. Marino’s career in Miami came to a screeching halt after the Jacksonville game. Dave Wannstedt was hired as the head coach and Marino toyed with an offer from the Minnesota Vikings to be their quarterback.

Marino opted to stay in Miami and received the edict from Wannstedt that he wouldn’t be guaranteed to start. Instead, Wannstedt was eyeing a free agent quarterback. That free agent turned out to be Jay Fiedler. Marino, given the options to leave Miami for another team, retire, or take a back-seat to another quarterback, opted to retire instead.

Since Marino left the team in March of 2000, the Dolphins have started 16 different quarterbacks and questions surround Ryan Tannehill’s future as the teams franchise quarterback. Was giving Marino an ultimatum the base of this long curse?

Next: Jimmy Johnson's curse