The strength of three: The 30 greatest trios in NFL history

Let’s be honest; Dan Marino makes any trio competent with his presence alone. He was the modern passer before modern passers existed. But luckily for his chances of appearing on this list, he had a very exciting duo of wide receivers in his time with the Miami Dolphins.

Marino’s arm talent and moxie were driving factors in his sustained success. He has a gold jacket to speak to that. But without Mark Clayton and Mark Duper, he wouldn’t have a key part of the quarterback-receiver connection.

Together with the Dolphins, Clayton and Duper had combined to make eight Pro Bowls, record 1,061 receptions, amass 17,512 receiving yards, and score 140 receiving touchdowns to set themselves apart in Marino’s midst. This trio was almost unstoppable in its prime.

Every time someone tells you that Marino never won a Super Bowl, it’s surprising. Even when you already knew that fact. Because Marino deserved to win a Super Bowl for all his generational talent.

But without targets like Clayton and Duper, he may have not gotten as close as he did. And without Marino, Clayton and Duper would be mere footnotes. These three were perfect for each other, in success and failure.