Marino spoke with Sports Illustrated ahead of Super Bowl LVIII and was asked to name the four best players in his position. After decisively naming three of his contemporaries, he named two players in the running for the final spot.
‘To me, [Joe] Montana and [John] Elway, Jim Kelly—those guys, all those guys,’ Marino said.
Marino opted not to choose himself for his own list and reiterated how there’s plenty of names to choose from.
‘Patrick Mahomes, he’s going to be considered one of the best ever,’ Marino continued. ‘You got Tom Brady, you got a lot of guys. So there’s a lot to pick from there.’
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Brady is the most decorated quarterback with a total of seven Super Bowl titles in his illustrious career. Meanwhile, Mahomes just won his second straight title with the Kansas City Chiefs and his third in the last five years.
Montana won four titles during his career while Elway had two of his own. Meanwhile, Jim Kelly is widely considered one of the best quarterbacks despite never winning the biggest prize in the sport.
All three played in the NFL around the same as Marino. And like Kelly, the former Miami Dolphins quarterback failed to secure a title in 17 seasons in the NFL.
However, his career saw Marino win the MVP and Offensive player of the Year in 1984. He also made nine Pro Bowl and three First-team All-Pro selections. Additionally, he lead the league in passing yards five times and passing touchdowns on three different occasions.
Marino holds the NFL record for lowest career sack percentage with 3.1 per cent. He also has the most seasons leading the NFL in completions (6) and pass attempts (5). Marino retired in 2000 and got inducted into the Hall of Fame five years later.
