MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Dan Marino touched on a range of topics Wednesday as South Florida once again prepares to host a record-breaking 11th Super Bowl.
The former Miami Dolphins quarterback knows a thing or two about breaking records, as he did throughout his 17-year NFL career.
Among his voluminous accolades, Marino once held the record for most passing yards in a season and most fourth-quarter comeback wins. The Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback was a nine-time Pro Bowl player and the NFL MVP in 1984. He was the NFL's passing touchdowns leader for three consecutive seasons from 1984-86 and was the NFL's passing yards leader in a season on five different occasions.
But there's one thing that eluded him during his playing days -- a Super Bowl ring.
Maybe that's why he's so fond of bringing the Super Bowl to Miami as much as possible.
"I think we should have it every year, personally," Marino told Local 10 News reporter Trent Kelly from a supped-up suite at Hard Rock Stadium, which will host Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2 after a 10-year hiatus.
Marino is serving as the face of the Super Bowl LIV Host Committee, leading the charge to recruit more than 10,000 volunteers to take part in the world's largest single-day sporting event. He said the work doesn't end once the game is over.
"After the Super Bowl's over, they'll be preparing for trying to get one for five years from now," he said.
Although the participating teams are yet to be determined, Marino has a rooting interest in one team.
Marino hopes former Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who was traded to Tennessee during the offseason, "plays well and does well."
"Because I think he's a good kid and, you know, he played here for a lot of years for our Dolphins fans," Marino said. "So it'd be great for him to do well."
Tannehill has led the Titans to the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs. A win would send Tannehill back to the place where he spent his first seven seasons in the NFL.
"Why not? They've done it so far, you know," Marino said. "They've played really good football, Tennessee, so maybe he can."
Of course, the Super Bowl isn't all about football. Marino is also promoting the "Super Bowl Sleepover" contest sponsored by Courtyard by Marriott, the official hotel of the NFL. One lucky fan is getting the chance to spend the night before the Super Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. She and two friends will get to wake up in a pair of beds inside a stadium suite on Super Bowl Sunday with a view overlooking the field.
"There'll be some surprises, too," Marino hinted.
It's further proof that the Super Bowl has come a long way since Marino played in one to cap the 1984 season.
"It's one big performance and, you know, it's changed a lot since I played in it, you know, years ago," Marino recalled. "I don't even know if we had a halftime show."
In fact, there was one. Marino’s lone Super Bowl was played at Stanford Stadium in California, where the U.S. Air Force’s touring ensemble, known as the Tops in Blue, performed during the break.