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Many years ago, before drunk driving charges were euphemized as driving while intoxicated, Dan Marino liked to drink a little. But he also enjoyed moving around South Florida because he was the quarterback of the Miami Dolphins, not a hermit.
Marino understood his importance in the community and how unacceptable a DUI charge would be, at the cost of his reputation. So he bought a limousine. And he hired a driver.
That driver, who happened to be the father of future NFL great and current Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan, would take Marino everywhere, making sure the star quarterback, who liked to have a few drinks every now and then, never got into trouble on the road.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino broke Fran Tarkenton’s NFL career completion record of 3,687 on his fourth completion of the game. Marino finished the day with 3,702 career completions during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida, on October 8, 1995. (CHRIS BERNACCHI/AFP via Getty Images)
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The NFL, its players and coaches could definitely use more of Dan Marino’s thinking now because events of the last few years suggest the league has some sort of leadership problem.
Consider what has happened this month so far:
- July 22: The Los Angeles Chargers release guard Ben Cleveland after being arrested the previous week on charges of speeding and driving with a limited permit, according to police reports obtained by the New York Post. That arrest came about a year and a half after Cleveland was arrested for DUI.
- July 23: Tony Romo, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS NFL analyst, is arrested in Wisconsin for OWI, operating while intoxicated, unsafe passing, open intoxicants and refusal of a breathalyzer. He was booked and a hearing was scheduled for September 21.
- July 25: News leaks of an accident involving Kyle Shanahan. The San Francisco 49ers coach suffered a broken hand, nose and ribs, a facial laceration and has been battling concussion symptoms on July 14 after a head-on collision with another car. Although neither driver was cited, Shanahan this week took responsibility for the accident, saying he dropped his phone and lost control of his Tesla, which crashed into an oncoming car.
- July 28: Defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander is suspended by the Minnesota Vikings, the team announces, after pleading guilty to third-degree DWI. Alexander paid fines and fees, was assigned community service and will be on probation for two years. It is suspended until August 13.
Rueben Bain Jr of the Miami (FL) Hurricanes speaks to the media during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 25, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
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We’re not close to being done.
The Washington Commanders fired tight ends coach Ben Steele on the eve of training camp following a DWI arrest in June.
“I certainly wish the best for Ben and his family,” Commanders general manager Adam Peters said this week. “A lot of thought went into that decision and, you know, it was unfortunate, but we hope for the best for him and his family.”
Before the draft, OutKick reported that University of Miami defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. was in an accident in October 2025 and was cited for reckless driving. This followed a fatal accident in March 2024 in which Bain crashed into another car on I-95 in South Florida, setting off a chain reaction accident that ultimately left one of his passengers unresponsive.
That passenger eventually died.
Bain was selected in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the Top 10 prospect fell to No. 15 overall.
In this screenshot taken from dash cam video provided by Bill Nabors, two speeding sports cars, left and second from left, cause a pileup on the North Central Expressway in Dallas, Saturday, March 30, 2024. Dallas police said Wednesday, April 10, 2024, that Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice faces charges including aggravated assault after he and another driver A speeding sports car caused a pile-up on a Dallas highway. (Bill Nabors via AP)
Kansas City Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice served 30 days in jail from May to June because he tested positive for THC (marijuana) and the reason we know this is because those tests are part of a probation agreement stemming from his well-documented driving conviction.
In July 2025, Rice pleaded guilty to third-degree felonies (collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury) following a high-speed crash in March 2024 in Dallas.
Pak Gazette Digital compiled records of 21 driving incidents involving NFL players dating back to 2024 that speak to drunk driving, reckless driving or simply poor decision-making behind the wheel when viewed individually.
But when you understand that people connected to the NFL – not including their families – are involved in more than one traffic-related mishap per month on average, that could indicate a problem.
An NFL spokesperson could not be reached for comment on this matter, but a league source told Pak Gazette Digital that this is an individual and club matter.
Clubs instruct their employees not to drink or drive, something they should probably already know. Some clubs connect players and others with ride-sharing programs or tell players to call club security if they are unsure of their ability to drive.
But a large percentage of these incidents, like the Shanahan head-on crash, do not involve alcohol.
It seems more NFL drivers could learn something from Dan Marino’s example.
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