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As I noted earlier, Steve Young was past the age of 35 when he was forced to retire after the 1999 season. Though he had a few years where he didn't play a lot sitting behind Joe Montana and Young kept himself in good shape, it's not like he was at an age when quarterbacks usually play for another 5 years, regardless how much mileage they have on their bodies.
A better example of a quarterback having his career somewhat shortened by concussions is Troy Aikman, who was forced out at (I'd guess) about age 33 after the 2000 season. Aikman, like Steve Young, usually played behind good offensive lines, but all it takes is a small number of big hits - something that pretty much happens to all quarterbacks, except maybe those who get rid of the ball quickly, like a Dan Marino or a Peyton Manning - for a quarterback to become prone to concussions and have his career shortened somewhat.
I'm a huge fan of Dan Marino and he had a tremendous OL. Have you ever heard of Richmond Webb? He might have been the best ever on the left side and he is the reason why Marino was never blindsided and also never had a major injury until his last year or two. Yes, he had a rocket arm and quick release and also was great moving around in the pocket but his line gave him the time to sit back and wait on receivers. Wasn't as if he was going to hand the ball to anyone either.
I agree, Dan Marino did play behind a very good offensive line, especially during the first half of his career, and that was a significant factor in the low number of sacks he experienced. Nonetheless, I think Marino took less sacks (and probably less hits) than most other quarterbacks would have taken playing behind the same offensive line because Marino got rid of the ball quickly and preferred to throw it away when a play wasn't there rather than holding the ball and buying time with his legs trying to see if a play could develop.
As I noted earlier, Steve Young was past the age of 35 when he was forced to retire after the 1999 season. Though he had a few years where he didn't play a lot sitting behind Joe Montana and Young kept himself in good shape, it's not like he was at an age when quarterbacks usually play for another 5 years, regardless how much mileage they have on their bodies.
A better example of a quarterback having his career somewhat shortened by concussions is Troy Aikman, who was forced out at (I'd guess) about age 33 after the 2000 season. Aikman, like Steve Young, usually played behind good offensive lines, but all it takes is a small number of big hits - something that pretty much happens to all quarterbacks, except maybe those who get rid of the ball quickly, like a Dan Marino or a Peyton Manning - for a quarterback to become prone to concussions and have his career shortened somewhat.
Montana took a big one from Marshall or else that was a three peat for the Niners.
I think Alex Smith will follow the shadows of Montana and Young.
I agree, Dan Marino did play behind a very good offensive line, especially during the first half of his career, and that was a significant factor in the low number of sacks he experienced. Nonetheless, I think Marino took less sacks (and probably less hits) than most other quarterbacks would have taken playing behind the same offensive line because Marino got rid of the ball quickly and preferred to throw it away when a play wasn't there rather than holding the ball and buying time with his legs trying to see if a play could develop.
What made Marino so great was knowing his players and his own ability. He knew he couldn't run, so he rarely did. He had great pocket awareness so he slipped back and forth, front and back as needed. If he had a running game( B.Sanders, Emmitt, etc...), no one ever would question who the best QB ever was. It would easily be him. Maybe people need to recognize that instead of crediting guys like Aikman who had a balanced attack and an all around solid team. On Miami, Aikman would have been a Testaverde or Steve Deburgh.
What made Marino so great was knowing his players and his own ability. He knew he couldn't run, so he rarely did. He had great pocket awareness so he slipped back and forth, front and back as needed. If he had a running game( B.Sanders, Emmitt, etc...), no one ever would question who the best QB ever was. It would easily be him. Maybe people need to recognize that instead of crediting guys like Aikman who had a balanced attack and an all around solid team. On Miami, Aikman would have been a Testaverde or Steve Deburgh.
Absolutely.
The point I made a few pages back here is that it helps to have a supporting cast. Dan had half a cast, and I'm not talking about the cast he had to wear around his foot after the achilles tear he suffered in the 1993 season, though I'll touch on that later.
What helped Dan was great footwork in the pocket as well as knowing his teammates strengths, as lance pointed out. To the best of my knowledge Dan never had a running back who was a thousand yard rusher with the exception of Karim Abdul Jabbar, I believe that was in the 1996 season where he gained just a little over 1000 yards. (I'll look that up later).The Tony Nathans and the Sammy Smiths were serviceable backs, but none of these rb's made all pro. With the wide receivers, the "Marks brothers" (as was marketed by Miami in their early years) who were Mark Duper and Mark Clayton, only were voted to the pro bowl in the year that the Dolphins went to the Super Bowl, which was in 1984. They were good receivers, don't get me wrong. But they weren't all pros, superstars.
And by 1993 both Duper and Clayton were gone; 1992 was Duper's last year and in 1993 Clayton signed with Green Bay. That season started poorly for the Dolphins, and then Marino went down with the achilles injury. He played 5 games and was out after that. By 1996 Jimmy Johnson took over from Don Shula and Johnson and Marino never really were buddies, I'll just say that. By 1997 Marino needed help to make a last run at a Super Bowl but didn't get it. I don't remember Miami signing a lot of free agents but I could be mistaken.
After SB XIX, if someone told me that Dan Marino would never make it to another Super Bowl in his career, I would have laughed. Yet Miami never made it after that, and made it to only one AFC Championship game after that, which was in the 1992 season. Buffalo beat Miami in Miami 29 to 10. Like SBXIX, where Miami's defense gave up 38 points to Montana and the 49ers, the defense folded come crunch time.
It's impossible to name one player, but a name I haven't seen mentioned yet that needs to be mentioned is Rod Woodson, he started out as a lockdown corner who thrived in the Steeler blitz packages, and later moved to safety and played that position at defensive MVP level.
He had a nose for the ball like few I have ever seen, and I'm a Raider fan so no homerism here. I just no talent when I see it.
Another name needing to be mentioned and maybe he was but I didn't see was Lawrence Taylor.
Ted Hendricks (my all time favorite Raider) was actually LT before there was an LT but LT took it to another stratosphere.
It's impossible to name one player, but a name I haven't seen mentioned yet that needs to be mentioned is Rod Woodson, he started out as a lockdown corner who thrived in the Steeler blitz packages, and later moved to safety and played that position at defensive MVP level.
He had a nose for the ball like few I have ever seen, and I'm a Raider fan so no homerism here. I just no talent when I see it.
Another name needing to be mentioned and maybe he was but I didn't see was Lawrence Taylor.
Ted Hendricks (my all time favorite Raider) was actually LT before there was an LT but LT took it to another stratosphere.
Woodson was my favorite. He was what people used to claim about Deion Sanders, but he could tackle. Deion was called the best cover guy but he couldn't tackle. Woodson was good at everything but so was Carnell Lake, Ronnie Lott, and Troy Polamalu is damn good too. Definitely a tough one calling one guy the best. I'll stick with Barry and Marino.
QB: Joe Montana
RB: Jim Brown (although Gale Sayers is my fav)
WR: Jerry Rice
TE: John Mackie
OL: Anthony Munoz or Dwight Stephenson (toss up)
LB: Lawrence Taylor
CB: Darrell Green or Deion Sanders (toss up)
DB: Ronnie Lott
DL: Reggie White
P: Ray Guy
K: Adam Vinitieri
PR/KR: Devin Hester
QB: Joe Montana
RB: Jim Brown (although Gale Sayers is my fav)
WR: Jerry Rice
TE: John Mackie
OL: Anthony Munoz or Dwight Stephenson (toss up)
LB: Lawrence Taylor
CB: Darrell Green or Deion Sanders (toss up)
DB: Ronnie Lott
DL: Reggie White
P: Ray Guy
K: Adam Vinitieri
PR/KR: Devin Hester
RB : Roger Craig
TE : Vernon Davis
LB : Charles Haley
P : Andy Lee
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