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Many years ago, before drunk-driving charges were euphemized as driving while intoxicated, Dan Marino liked to imbibe a little. But he also enjoyed getting around South Florida because he was the quarterback of the Miami Dolphins, not a hermit.
Marino understood his stature in the community and what an unacceptable pratfall a drinking and driving charge would be on charges 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 drive Marino everywhere, making sure the star quarterback, who liked a few drinks now and then, never had any issues on the road.
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The NFL, its players and coaches could definitely use more of Dan Marino’s thinking now because events in the past couple of years suggest the league has something of a driving problem.
Consider what has happened this month so far:
- July 22 – The Los Angeles Chargers release guard Ben Cleveland after he is arrested the week before on charges of speeding and driving with a limited permit, according to police reports obtained by the New York Post. That arrest came roughly one-and-a-half-years removed from Cleveland being arrested for DUI.
- July 23: Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo is arrested in Wisconsin for OWI, which is Operating While Intoxicated, unsafe passing, open intoxicants, and refusing a breathalyzer. He was booked and a hearing is scheduled for Sept. 21.
- July 25: News of an accident involving Kyle Shanahan leaks. The San Francisco 49ers coach on July 14 suffered a broken hand, broken nose, broken ribs, a facial laceration and has been battling concussion symptoms 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 hit an oncoming car.
- July 28: Defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander is suspended by the Minnesota Vikings, the team announces, after he pleaded guilty to third-degree DWI. Alexander paid fines and fees, was assigned community service and will be on probation for two years. He is suspended until Aug. 13.
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We are not close to being done.
The Washington Commanders fired tight end coach Ben Steele on the eve of training camp following a DWI arrest in June.
“Certainly really wish the best for Ben and his family,” Commanders general manager Adam Peters said this week. “A lot of thought was put into that decision and, you know, it was unfortunate but hoping for the best for him and his family.”
Before the draft, OutKick reported that University of Miami defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. got into an accident in October 2025 and was cited for reckless driving. That followed a March 2024 fatal accident in which Bain hit another car on I-95 in South Florida, setting off a chain reaction accident that eventually left one of his passengers non-responsive.
That passenger eventually died.
Bain was drafted in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the Top 10 prospect dropped to the No. 15 overall slot.
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-chronicled driving conviction.
Rice in July 2025 pleaded guilty to third-degree felony charges (collision involving serious bodily injury, and racing on a highway causing bodily injury) following a high-speed March 2024 crash in Dallas.
Fox News Digital compiled records of 21 driving incidents involving NFL people dating back to 2024 that speak to drinking and driving, reckless driving or simply bad decision-making behind the wheel when viewed individually.
But when one understands NFL-connected people – not including their families – are involved in more than one traffic-related mishap per month on average, it could signal a problem.
An NFL spokesman could not be reached for comment on this matter but a league source told Fox News Digital this is an individual and club matter.
Clubs instruct their employees not to drink and drive, something they probably should already know. Some clubs connect players and others with rideshare programs or tell players to call club security if they feel unsure of their ability to drive.
But a large percentage of these incidents, like Shanahan’s head-on collision, do not involve alcohol.
More NFL drivers apparently could learn something from the Dan Marino example.
FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO
