Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino spent all of his 17 NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins before calling it a career. According to a report by Adam London of New England Sports Network (NESN), Marino had a chance to extend his career after the Dolphins declined the team option in his contract before the start of the 2000 season. The Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers all offered Marino an opportunity to continue playing, but he decided to retire as a Dolphin.
Veteran quarterback Tom Brady is in the same boat as Marino as he will enter free agency for the first time in his 20-year stint with the New England Patriots on March 18.
The 42-year-old Brady plans to play until he’s 45 years old, but he’s facing an uncertain future with the Patriots. Rumors have it that Brady could join the Los Angeles Chargers or the Oakland Raiders when they move to Las Vegas next season. When asked by NBC Sports about the veteran quarterback's predicament, Marino said that if he’s Brady, he will stay with the Patriots. “To stay in New England, to me, that’s what I would want to do,” said Marino, per London’s report.
Marino says Brady has right to do whatever he wants
However, Marino said Brady has earned the right to do what he wants to do and look at each and every situation that will be presented to him during the free agency period. “He deserves that right because of as long as he’s played, the career he’s had.
I mean, all the Super Bowls he’s won,” Marino pointed out. In an earlier interview, Marino insisted that Brady has the right to impose on the Patriots to keep him because of the success that he has with the team.
Marino is the third Hall of Fame quarterback who advised Brady to stay with the Patriots, who he led to six Super Bowl trophies since he was drafted 199th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft.
Joe Montana, Brady’s childhood idol, told the Patriots quarterback to stay in New England, because it would be hard for him to adjust to a different environment after playing 20 years in a familiar system. Montana played 13 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers before playing two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. Another Hall of Fame quarterback, Troy Aikman, said he wants to see Brady end his career with the Patriots.
Aikman spent all of his 12 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.
McGinest thinks Brady wants to retire with Patriots
In an interview with Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports, former Patriots linebacker and current NFL analyst Willie McGinest was asked to predict about Brady’s free-agent decision. McGinest, who played 12 years and won three Super Bowl rings with the Patriots, said he believes that Brady wants to retire as a Patriot. The retired linebacker added that the Patriots will have the first crack at Brady, but he expects other teams to step up to the plate and try to convince the veteran quarterback to sign with them. In an earlier interview with TMZ Sports, McGinest believed that the Patriots dynasty is still alive despite losing to the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card Game.
