Editor Marinaro

March 31, 1950

New York City, New York, United States of America

Marinaro played high school football in New Milford, New Jersey, for the New Milford High School Knights. Marinaro played college football at Cornell University where he set over 16 National Collegiate Athletic Association records. He was the first running back in National Collegiate Athletic Association history to run for 4,000 career rushing yards and led the nation in rushing in both 1970 and 1971. He holds two National Collegiate Athletic Association records: most rushes per game in a season (396 in 1971) and career average carries per game (340, 1969-1971). He went on to play professional football for six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks, appearing in Super Bowl VIII and Super Bowl IX with the Vikings. He scored 13 touchdowns over his career. Marinaro was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991. After leaving football, Marinaro became an actor. He joined the regular cast of Hill Street Blues in 1981 playing officer Joe Coffey until 1986. He also appeared in the 2006 film Circus Island. Marinaro played the head football coach for three seasons on Spike television"s comedy, Blue Mountain State. In May 2015 Tuff television, a multicast television network targeted at men, named Marinaro as the diginet’s first celebrity spokesman.

Editor Marinaro

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gridiron football player

Education

In 1971 he finished as a runner up to Pat Sullivan for the Heisman Trophy, and from 2010–2011 starred in the football comedy series, Blue Mountain State.

Career

Marinaro played high school football in New Milford, New Jersey, for the New Milford High School Knights. Marinaro played college football at Cornell University where he set over 16 National Collegiate Athletic Association records. He was the first running back in National Collegiate Athletic Association history to run for 4,000 career rushing yards and led the nation in rushing in both 1970 and 1971.

He holds two National Collegiate Athletic Association records: most rushes per game in a season (396 in 1971) and career average carries per game (340, 1969-1971).

He went on to play professional football for six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks, appearing in Super Bowl VIII and Super Bowl IX with the Vikings. He scored 13 touchdowns over his career.

Marinaro was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991. After leaving football, Marinaro became an actor.

He joined the regular cast of Hill Street Blues in 1981 playing officer Joe Coffey until 1986.

He also appeared in the 2006 film Circus Island. Marinaro played the head football coach for three seasons on Spike television"s comedy, Blue Mountain State. In May 2015 Tuff television, a multicast television network targeted at men, named Marinaro as the diginet’s first celebrity spokesman.

Achievements

Marinaro was runner-up to Pat Sullivan for the Heisman Trophy in 1971, the highest finish for an Ivy League player since the league de-emphasized football in the mid-1950s. Princeton"s Dick Kazmaier won the award in 1951 when the Ivy was still considered a major football conference. Marinaro won the 1971 Maxwell Award and the United Press International College Football Player of the Year as the top player in college football.

Membership

While at Cornell, Marinaro was a member of Psi Upsilon and was selected for membership in the Sphinx Head Society.

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Editor Marinaro

Education

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Awards

Heisman Trophy; Maxwell Award; United Press International College Football Player of the Year