In this bizarre year for sports with Manti Te’o and Lance Armstrong, we have yet another strange story. This one involves former Miami Dolphins quarterback and current CBS NFL Today analyst Dan Marino. Ian Mohr of the New York Post reports that Marino fathered a daughter out of wedlock with a network production assistant back in 2005, then paid her off to keep quiet about it.
Marino who has been married to his wife of 28 years, admitted to the Post that he had fathered the girl with the production assistant saying it was a private matter and he takes full responsibility for his actions.
He added in a written statement to the Post that he and the production assistant, named as Donna Savattere “mutually agreed to keep our arrangement private to protect all parties involved.”
Marino has six children with his wife, Claire and says their marriage is strong and remains intact.
CBS has issued a statement to Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch saying that Marino will be on the network’s Super Bowl Today pregame show as planned.
CBS on Dan Marino: “Dan has said all there is to say on this matter, and will be in his usual role on our broadcast Super Bowl Sunday.”
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) January 31, 2013
Bizarre timing for this story to surface.