Ed Marinaro

Ed Marinaro was born in New York City, New York, on March 31, 1950, and raised in New Milford, New Jersey. His athletic journey began in high school, where he excelled in both football and basketball. Marinaro committed to Cornell University, declining over 50 scholarship offers, and subsequently established a prolific college football career. Over his three-year varsity period, he set numerous Ivy League and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) records for rushing. He was the first player in college football history to achieve over 4,000 career rushing yards, accumulating 4,715 yards. Marinaro set 16 NCAA records for rushing, scoring, and all-purpose running, maintaining a career average of 176.4 yards per game, which remains an NCAA record. He was a three-time All-American, received the prestigious Maxwell Trophy, and was named AP and UPI player of the year in 1971. That same year, he finished second in the Heisman Trophy ballot to Pat Sullivan. In recognition of his collegiate achievements, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991 and was voted the Ivy League Player of the Era in 1992.

Marinaro was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 1972, becoming the first rookie to start under coach Bud Grant. During his tenure with the Vikings, he contributed to the team reaching consecutive Super Bowls in 1973 (Super Bowl VIII) and 1974 (Super Bowl IX). In a subsequent season, his 54 catches ranked third in the NFC, and his 11 catches against the San Diego Chargers set a Vikings record. In 1976, Marinaro joined the New York Jets. His football career concluded prematurely due to a career-ending foot injury, sustained while leading the team in rushing, scoring, and receiving.

Following his retirement from professional football, Marinaro relocated to Los Angeles in 1978 and began an acting career. He secured a role on the series “Laverne & Shirley.” His portrayal of Officer Joe Coffey on the Emmy-winning series “Hill Street Blues” from 1981 to 1986, where he appeared in 104 episodes, significantly established him as an actor. After his seven-year run on “Hill Street Blues,” Marinaro starred in the NBC drama “Sisters” for six years. He has also been recognized for his role as Coach Marty Daniels in Spike TV’s “Blue Mountain State,” which ran for three seasons, and its subsequent feature film, “Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland” (2016). His filmography includes over 25 feature films and TV movies, such as “Amy Fisher: My Story” (1992) as Joey Buttafuoco, “Champs” (1996) as Vince Mazzilli, “Love & Debt” (2019) as Carl, “SnowComing” (TV Movie, 2019) as Coach Kerrigan, “The Many Saints of Newark” (2021) as Jilly Ruffalo, and “A Unicorn for Christmas” (2021) as Horace. He also made appearances in “Drop Dead Diva” (2013) and “Days of Our Lives” (2011). Beyond acting, Marinaro has served as a spokesman for various products.