#ThisDayThatYear: Dolphins' Marino becomes first QB over 50,000 yards (1996)
On November 10, 1996, Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino made NFL history by becoming the first quarterback to pass 50,000 career yards. Marino reached the milestone during a 37-13 victory against the Indianapolis Colts, adding another record by completing his 4,000th pass. In this article, we decode the record, Marino's stats, and the 1996 season.
Dolphins and Marino's 1996 season recap
In 1996, the Dolphins, under new head coach Jimmy Johnson, finished 8-8, missing the playoffs. Marino threw for 2,795 yards with 17 touchdowns, completing 59.2% of his passes and posting an 87.8 passer rating. Additionally, this was the Dolphins' first season since 1969 without long-time head coach Don Shula. Notably, this was the first season since 1969 without a Dolphins Pro Bowler.
Marino makes NFL history, while the Dolphins top the Colts
In a 37-13 victory over the Colts, Marino made history by surpassing 50,000 career passing yards and reaching 4,000 completions. Marino threw for 204 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with receivers O.J. McDuffie and Fred Barnett. Running back Karim Abdul-Jabbar added two rushing touchdowns, helping Miami dominate throughout and hold Indianapolis to just 13 points.
QB's NFL career numbers
Marino played 242 regular season games, completing 4,967 passes on 8,358 attempts (59.4%) for 61,361 yards, 420 touchdowns, and 252 interceptions. He averaged 253.6 passing yards per game with a career passer rating of 86.4. Marino was sacked 270 times and added 87 rushing yards with nine rushing touchdowns. Meanwhile, in 18 playoff games, he threw for 4,510 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions.
Marino's NFL achievements and awards
Marino's career includes numerous accolades, including NFL MVP (1984), Offensive Player of the Year (1984), and Comeback Player of the Year (1994). He earned nine Pro Bowl selections, three First-team All-Pro honors, and led the league in passing yards five times and passing touchdowns three times. Marino was inducted into the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team and had his No. 13 retired.
