Dan Marino: 'Sue the NFL? Not Me!'

Even the greats need crisis comms help. Poor Dan Marino. Poor, hapless, no-Super-Bowl-ring-earning, Hall-of-Fame-jacket-wearing, no-clue-having Dan Marino. I sure hope all that tackle football didn't mess with his head like it did to his former colleagues in the class-action lawsuit brought against the NFL. According to court documents filed last week in Philadelphia, Marino joined 14 other former players in filing the newest federal case. Upon hearing the news, Dan Marino quickly disputed his status as poster boy for the suit, which alleges that the former players never got the facts about concussions in the NFL. To wit, he said, "Count me out, bro." The news was everywhere. The blog posts went viral. Marino's phone hadn't seen this much action since Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Reports claimed Dan Marino was the latest -- and definitely greatest -- name to add his clout to the $765-million concussion litigation against the NFL. While the suit bears 14 players' names, there are more than 5,000 other people (including 41 gentlemen in Canton) involved. Surely, Dan Marino had suffered a few headaches after particularly rough tackles. Surely, he would lend his support to a suit challenging the ageless "just rub some dirt on it and get back on the field, you wuss" philosophy. Surely, he was...just kidding?! Apparently so. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the great Miami Dolphins quarterback had this to say: "Within the last year I authorized a claim to be filed on my behalf just in case I needed future medical coverage to protect me and my family in the event I later suffered from the effects of head trauma," Marino said. In so doing I did not realize I would be automatically listed as a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the NFL. I have made the decision it is not necessary for me to be part of any claims or this lawsuit and therefore I am withdrawing as a plaintiff effective immediately. I sympathetic to other players who are seeking relief who may have suffered head injuries. I also disclaim any references in the form complaint of current head injuries." In other words, "I have a national TV job. I have some stellar endorsements. I have a fairly unblemished record of goodwill PR. I'm good." And now, Marino has to deal with another kind of headache caused by the backlash to this story. Ironic, isn't it?

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Dan Marino: 'Sue the NFL? Not Me!'

Shawn Paul Wood

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Shawn Paul Wood