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Many years ago, before drunk driving charges were considered drunk driving, Dan Marino liked to imbibe a little. But he also loved moving around South Florida because he was the quarterback of the Miami Dolphins, not a hermit.
Marino understood his stature in the community and how unacceptable a drunk driving charge would be to his reputation. So he bought a limousine. And he hired a driver.
This driver, who happened to be the father of future NFL great and current Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan, would drive Marino everywhere, ensuring that the star quarterback, who liked to have a few drinks every now and then, would never get into trouble on the road.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino broke Fran Tarkenton’s NFL career completion record with his 3,687th career completion on his fourth end of the game. Marino finished the day with 3,702 career completions in 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 certainly use more of Dan Marino’s thinking now, as the events of the past two years suggest the league has a conduct problem.
Consider what’s happened this month so far:
- July 22 – The Los Angeles Chargers release guard Ben Cleveland after his arrest the previous week for speeding and driving on a limited license, according to police reports obtained by the New York Post. This arrest occurred about a year and a half after Cleveland’s arrest for drunk driving.
- July 23: Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo is arrested in Wisconsin for OWI, operating while intoxicated, dangerous passing, open intoxicants and refusal of a breathalyzer test. He has been indicted and a hearing is scheduled for September 21.
- July 25: News of an accident involving Kyle Shanahan leaks. The San Francisco 49ers coach suffered a broken hand, broken nose, broken ribs, a facial laceration on July 14 and is battling symptoms of a concussion after a head-on collision with another car. Although neither driver was cited, Shanahan this week took responsibility for the crash, 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 announced, after pleading guilty to third-degree DWI. Alexander paid fines and fees, was assigned to community service and will be on probation for two years. It is suspended until August 13.
Rueben Bain Jr of the Miami Hurricanes (FL) 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 finished.
The Washington Commanders fired tight end 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. “This decision was a long thought process and, you know, it was unfortunate, but we hope 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 crash in March 2024 in which Bain struck another car on I-95 in South Florida, setting off a chain reaction that ultimately left one of his passengers unresponsive.
This passenger ultimately died.
Bain was drafted in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the Top 10 prospect fell to 15th overall.
In this screenshot taken from dashcam video provided by Bill Nabors, two speeding sports cars, left and second from left, cause a chain reaction crash on the North Central Expressway in Dallas, Saturday, March 30, 2024. Dallas police said Wednesday, April 10, that Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice faces charges including aggravated assault after he and another driver of a sports car for speeding caused a chain reaction accident on a Dallas highway. (Bill Nabors via AP)
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice served 30 days in jail from May to June because he tested positive for THC (marijuana) and the reason we know that is because those tests are part of a probation deal stemming from his high-profile driving conviction.
In July 2025, Rice pleaded guilty to third-degree felony charges (collision resulting in serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury) following a high-speed crash in March 2024 in Dallas.
PK Press Club Digital has compiled recordings of 21 driving incidents involving NFL individuals dating back to 2024 that talk about drunk driving, reckless driving or just poor decision-making behind the wheel when viewed individually.
But when you understand that people connected to the NFL — not counting their families — are involved in more than one traffic-related accident per month on average, it could signal a problem.
An NFL spokesperson could not be reached for comment on the matter, but a league source told PK Press Club Digital that this is an individual and club matter.
Clubs ask their employees not to drink and drive, which is something they probably should already know. Some clubs connect players and others with ride-sharing programs or ask players to call club security if they are unsure of their ability to drive.
But a large percentage of those incidents, like Shanahan’s head-on collision, don’t involve alcohol.
More NFL drivers could apparently learn something from Dan Marino’s example.
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