Documentary to Revisit the "Marino Comeback"

Hall of Famer Dan Marino shined in one of the greatest Miami Dolphins openers

Dec 24, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Hall of Famer Dan Marino walks onto the field before the game between the Miami Dolphins and the Dallas Cowboys at Hard Rock Stadium. / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 season opener for the Miami Dolphins will occur Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The opening day will come a few days after the 30th anniversary of one of the most epic opening-day battles between the Dolphins and the New England Patriots. The game was played at what was then called Joe Robbie Stadium (now Hard Rock Stadium). There is now a documentary looking back at that classic matchup.

Former Dolphins wide receiver OJ McDuffie and former team media relations assistant Seth Levit, who host The Fish Tank podcast, will present Fish Tank Iconic: The Comeback. It will debut on the Miami Dolphins YouTube channel Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.

The mini-documentary will feature notable players from the game, such as former Dolphins wide receiver Irving Fryar, who had 211 yards and three touchdowns in the game, including the game-winner. Fryar's game was one of the best by a Dolphins receiver in team history.

Former Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe also appears in the mini-documentary.

Fryar discusses the game, the catch, and what it meant to play with Marino in the latter stages of Marino's Pro Football Hall of Fame career.

The game would be Marino's first game back from a torn Achilles tendon, which he suffered in 1993; standing on the opposing sideline was Bledsoe, who would match Marino in greatness on this day. The field conditions were less than perfect due to the fact the then-named Florida Marlins played there and the infield was wet and muddy.

Fryar remembers the game-winning catch he made on a fourth-and-5 from the Patriots' 35-yard line. Marino lofted a perfect ball down the right sideline. Fryar caught the ball for a touchdown. We ranked it as the sixth-best play in franchise history in a 2022 story.

Miami would go on to defeat New England 39-35.

Marino hits Irving Fryar to put #Dolphins up 39-35 over #Patriots on September 4, 1994. pic.twitter.com/3vpJFrQv3N

— Phil de Montmollin (@pdemontmollin) May 28, 2019

"We saw that on film," Fryar said. "It was also the fact that I was running in and blocking the safety on most of the runs. So, I would leave where the corner was and, take an inside release and run at the safety like I was going to block him with the running back receiving the ball. [The safety] starts coming down trying to beat me to the runner so I just took off right behind."

"It was like two heavyweight fighters throwing punch after punch..."

Don't miss the premier of Fish Tank Iconic: The Comeback #TOMORROW night (9/3) at 7 PM on the @MiamiDolphins #YouTube channel. #DanMarino #ICONIC @terry42_kirby @DrewBledsoe @davehydesports @ojmcduffie81… pic.twitter.com/J8ICTOUMjH

— TheFishTank (@TheFishTank81) September 2, 2024

Bledsoe said he was looking forward to playing against Marino, whom he idolized earlier in his career. He said he would ask Marino for an autograph when the game was over.

Fryar played three of his 17 NFL seasons in Miami, and was thankful for the opportunity to play with Marino and for Coach Don Shula.

"It's just an honor to be connected to moments like that, people like that," Fryar said. "Dan Marino, Coach Shula, the people I played with over the years. It's great to be able to say I know those people and they know me."