Sport: Football
Born: March 31, 1950
Town: New Milford, New Jersey
Edward Francis Marinaro was born March 31, 1950 in New York City and grew up in Bergen County, NJ. Ed was an excellent student and superb all-around athlete who became the star of Jack Music’s Milford High School football team as a junior in 1966. He was tall, quick and muscular and drew attention from several top-tier programs—until he broke his hand as a senior. That dose of reality led him to explore Cornell as a college choice.
Although hardly a big-time program, Cornell turned out to be a good fit. Ed was a good student who qualified for an academic scholarship and would be able to pursue a post-football career in hospitality at Cornell’s top-notch School of Hotel Administration.
At a touch over 6’2” and 200 pounds, Ed had the build of a fullback, but ran like a halfback. He also had the soft hands of a receiver. He made the Big Red starting lineup as a sophomore and the team switched from a split T-formation to an I-formation in order to make maximum use of his talents.
Playing the bulk of his games against Ivy Leaguers, Ed was next to unstoppable. He ran for 1,409 yards as a sophomore in 1969, 1,425 as a junior and 1,881 as a senior, playing nine games each season. He was the NCAA rushing champion 1970 and 1971. Ed scored 24 touchdowns in 1971 and was named UPI Player of the Year. He won the Maxwell Award as the best all-around player in the nation and finished a close second to Auburn quarterback Pat Sullivan in the Heisman Trophy polling in what was characterized as a “solidarity” vote from the South. When Ed received the bad news from his offensive coordinator, he joked, “I’m still good looking, and that’s what counts.”
After destroying the Ivy League record books, Marino began looking toward a career in the NFL. He had the size and skills to be a productive all-purpose back. The Minnesota Vikings took him in the second round of the 1972 draft, moved him to fullback, and paired him with their top pick in 1973, Chuck Foreman. The Vikings won the NFC title that season and again the next, but lost back-to-back Super Bowls. In 1975, coach Bud Grant began making better use of Ed’s skills, especially as a short-yardage receiver. He caught 54 passes in an offense that looked a lot like what the 49ers would later call the West Coast offense. The Vikings lost out on a third straight Super Bowl tip when Roger Staubach and the Cowboys beat them in the playoffs with the famous Hail Mary pass to fellow New Jerseyan Drew Pearson.
In 1976, Ed signed with the Jets and had back-to-back 100-yard games—the only two of his pro career. He played his final NFL season for the Seattle Seahawks in 1977, appearing in one game. In six seasons as a pro, Ed rushed for 1,319 yards and 6 touchdowns. He caught 146 passes for 1,176 yards and 7 touchdowns.
After football, Marinaro took acting lessons and launched a successful show business career. He had a featured role on Laverne & Shirley in 1980 and won the part of Joe Coffey on Hill Street Blues in 1981. Ed continued to appear regularly on television series as a guest star after Hill Street Blues for another decade.
Ed was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991. A year later, Ed played Joey Buttafuoco in a 1992 TV movie. His next big part was on Blue Mountain State as football coach Marty Daniels, finally blending his two lifelong passions in his 40s.