Todd Marinovich

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Todd Marvin Marinovich (born Marvin Scott Marinovich on July 4, 1969) is a former American and Canadian football quarterback.

He played for the Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League and also in the Canadian Football League and Arena Football League.

He is currently the QBs/strength coach for the San Diego Strike Force of the Indoor Football League.

He last played for the California Developmental League Football Team, the SoCal Coyotes.

Marinovich is known for the well-documented, intense focus of his training as a young athlete and for his brief career upon reaching the professional leagues that was cut short primarily because of his addiction to drugs.

Early development

Marinovich grew up on the Balboa Peninsula of Newport Beach, California. His father, Marv Marinovich, had been a lineman and a captain for the USC Trojans during the 1962 national championship season and played in the 1963 Rose Bowl. Marinovich's mother, Trudi (née Fertig), was a high school swimmer who dropped out of USC to marry Marv. Her brother Craig was a star USC quarterback at this time.

After harming his own National Football League lineman career by overtraining and focusing too much on weight and bulk, Marv studied Eastern Bloc training methods and was hired by Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis as the NFL's first strength-and-conditioning coach. Marv later opened his own athletic research center and applied the techniques to his young son, introducing athletic training before Marinovich could leave the crib and continuing it throughout his childhood and adolescence.

Marv saw an opportunity to use techniques, focusing on speed and flexibility, that later formed the basis for modern core training. During her pregnancy, Trudi used no salt, sugar, alcohol, or tobacco; as a baby, Todd was fed only fresh vegetables, fruits, and raw milk. Marv Marinovich commented, "Some guys think the most important thing in life is their jobs, the stock market, whatever. To me, it was my kids. The question I asked myself was, How well could a kid develop if you provided him with the perfect environment?"

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High school career

Marinovich had a fruitful high school career, becoming the first freshman to play in a varsity football league in Orange County. He began his studies at Mater Dei High School, a large Catholic high school in Santa Ana, as the alma mater of quarterbacks like Matt Barkley and Heisman Trophy champions Matt Leinart, John Huarte, and Bryce Young. Marinovich, who threw for nearly 4,400 yards and 34 touchdowns in his two years at Mater Dei, transferred to Capistrano Valley High School due to his parents' divorce. Marinovich first set a new Orange County passing record and later tied for 9,914 yards, with 2,477 in his senior year. He has received numerous awards, including being named a Parade All-American, the National High School Coaches Association's offensive scholar-athlete of the year, the Dial Award for the national high school scholar-athlete of the year 1987, and Touchdown Club's national high school player of the year.

Marinovich's unusual growth drew increasing media attention. "Robo QB: The Making of a Perfect Athlete," he wrote on the front of a California magazine in January 1988. In popular media, Robo Quarterback became a name for Marinovich, a condition that lasted long after the event that prompted it. Sports Illustrated published an article in February titled "Bred To Be A Superstar" that explored his father's unusual upbringing, urging him to make his son into the "perfect quarterback." Marinovich was dubbed "America's first test-tube celebrity" by the magazine, and how his mother influenced his passion for art, music, and classical Hollywood cinema, while prohibiting cartoons was too violent. His father sent a team of consultants to guide him on every facet of the game.

The article stated that:

An ESPN columnist named elder Marinovich as one of history's "worst sports fathers" long after Marinovich's career came to an end. Despite this, the Sports Illustrated article was inaccurate about his son's self-control. He began to drink alcohol at after-game parties and smoked marijuana regularly at high school. In what they referred to as "Zero Period," he grew to the point where he'll meet with a group of friends—athletes, skaters, surfers, and musicians—every day before school to give a bong before classes. Marinovich, who had previously suffered with social anxiety, found marijuana relaxed him and did not appear again at sporting functions. The rumors of his use sparked controversy among basketball fans, who booed him with chanting of "Marijuana-vich" during basketball. His parents divorced about the time he went to high school, and he spent in a tiny apartment with his father for the last two high school seasons. Marinovich loved the time, saying: "Most of my childhood was me and Marv's friendship in their youth and senior years." He really loosened up after the divorce. It was a bachelor pad. We were both dating."

Marinovich, a high school freshman who received Stanford letters, was recruited by almost every major college program. Despite his family's ties to the university, he was uncertain if he was a good fit for the program's offense. Marinovich preferred the university over recent national champions BYU and Miami, as well as Arizona State, Stanford, and Washington, after a positive visit. Marinovich considered his college choice seriously, saying, "This is the biggest decision of my life." It does not mean I will play football, but more likely, who I will marry, who my closest friends for life, and where I will live. It means everything. And here's the one thing I know for certain is that I'm too young to make this sort of decision by myself."

College career

Marinovich, a Fine Arts major and redshirted the 1988 season under Rodney Peete, joined him in the United StatesC. As a high school student, he was already under intense scrutiny, and the flurry of anticipation and the numerous new temptations that had been outlawed under his strict upbringing inevitably overwhelmed him. He was torn between the freedom movement and his father's teachings, despite the fact that "I'm finally away from my dad telling me everything" is what he was missing. And I have to admit that I have abused it. I have a landslide. "You know, you've got the remainder of your life to fool about," He keeps telling me. No longer now.' I'm sure he's right. However, there are a lot of distractions at SC." Marinovich left school in his freshman year to see his mother, saying, "I wish I could go somewhere else and be someone else." I don't want to be Todd Marinovich."

Marinovich's football career for the University of California got off to a rocky start outside of his personal life. After an uneven spring workout, O'Hara was back for Pat O'Hara as a redshirt freshman in 1989, but O'Hara sustained a serious leg injury in the fall preseason. Marinovich became the first freshman quarterback to start the season for the first time since World War II, though neither his coaches nor teammates expected him to be able. Marinovich improved during the regular season for 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, down 0.1% from Bernie Kosar's NCAA freshman record, despite an emotional loss to Illinois due in part to a coaching decision to minimize his presence. Marinovich starred on "The Drive" against Washington State during his last-minute return to Washington. He led the team on a 91-yard march downfield with 11 crucial completions, including a touchdown pass and a two-point conversion, which prompted former President Ronald Reagan to call Marinovich and invite him to his house in Los Angeles. The Trojans went 9-2–1, won the Pac-10 Conference, and defeated Michigan in the 1990 Rose Bowl. Marinovich was named College Freshman of the Year in 1989 by UPI and Sporting News; he was the only freshman on the All-Pac-10 team and the first freshman quarterback named.

Marinovich began the 1990 season as a Heisman Trophy contender, despite rumors that he would leave school early for the NFL. Larry Smith, the head coach of Marinovich, set a 70% completion rate for the Marinovich. However, his play became more erratic as a result of his personal struggles. After finding out that Marinovich had been skipping multiple classes, Smith suspended him from the Arizona State game, but his play against Arizona had been so poor that he may not have been suspended from the game despite it. During a loss in the Sun Bowl, Smith had a rocky relationship with Marinovich, and the chemistry became more strained when the quarterback started screaming at the coach on national television. Marinovich was arrested for cocaine use a month later and was drafted in the NFL draft after the season.

Professional career

Marinovich was the 24th pick overall and the second quarterback selected in the first round of the 1991 NFL Draft; ahead of Brett Favre—in the first round; the Raiders selected him as the second quarterback and the second quarterback taken—ahead of Brett Favre's contracting a three-year, $2.25 million contract. In an exhibition match against New Orleans on August 12, 1991, Marinovich made his NFL debut on Monday Night Football in an exhibition game against New Orleans. With 15 minutes remaining, he led the Raiders downfield, scoring three of four passes for 16 yards and a touchdown. He did not start a game until Jay Schroeder was injured before the season's final week, in which he was praised by fans with 23 completions in 40 passes for 243 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs in a close loss. He made a good debut against the Chiefs last week, but he was terrible, throwing for just 140 yards with four interceptions in a 10-6 loss and breaking a locker room mirror after the game.

Marinovich became the starter after the Oakland Browns went 0-2 with Schroeder as quarterback in 1992. In his first appearance of the season, he passed for 395 yards in a loss in his first game of the season, but the Raiders lost the following week after the Raiders started 0-4. He won three of his next four games before losing to the Dallas Cowboys. Marinovich's best game during that time was against the Buffalo Bills on October 11, 1992, when he had 11 of 21 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns in a 20-3 victory. Marinovich got off against the Philadelphia Eagles the following week, with three of his first ten passes intercepted. Schroeder returned to the starting job, but Marinovich never played again in the NFL.

Marinovich suffered with serious drug use throughout his NFL career. During his rookie season, he raised his partying and heroin use outside of marijuana, including pharmaceutical amphetamines before games. Since his cocaine use in college, the NFL ordered him to submit regular drug testing. Marinovich passed the urine of a coworker who had been drinking heavily, but the Raiders later discovered a blood alcohol level four times higher, prompting him to undergo alcohol therapy. After the season, the Raiders held an intervention, and Marinovich spent 45 days in a rehabilitation center. Marinovich switched to LSD after games because the drug test did not turn up. His play suffered, and his coaches argued he wasn't comprehending the intricate offense. He failed his second NFL drug test and went back to rehab. Marinovich failed his third drug screening in training camp before the 1993 season, this time for marijuana, and he was suspended for the 1993 season. Marinovich was released on the final cutdown by the Raiders, who refused to pay for Marinovich's salary until the salary cap goes into place.

The Pittsburgh Steelers showed some curiosity in signing him to be their third-string quarterback after Marinovich's suspension was lifted in 1994. Marinovich, who disliked the NFL's culture, has decided not to return to the league. Rather than drafting Jim Miller, the Steelers wound up returning to the NFL Draft.

Marinovich had been traveling for two years, but had to cancel the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League after suffering a serious knee injury on the first day of training camp. One of his high school classmates introduced him to heroin during his recovery. Marinovich was arrested for opioid use and three months in various jails within a short time.

Marinovich was allowed to reenter the league in April 1999, but she had a herniated disk while playing recreational basketball. He tried out and gained interest from the San Diego Chargers and the Chicago Bears this summer but later declined the physical examination and signed as a backup quarterback for the BC Lions of the CFL. As he would spend the majority of his free time using drugs, his use of heroin and cocaine escalated, and his body decreased, and his weight decreased. Marinovich actually broke his hand with a crack pipe during halftime and was forced to covertly bandage himself. Despite being asked to remain with the team for another season, he realized he was in a bad situation and left the team.

Marinovich was born in Los Angeles in 2000 and was a member of the Los Angeles Avengers, the Arena Football League's new expansion. Despite being forced to stop heroin use, he had a good year, tying the most touchdowns in a single game by tossing ten touchdowns against the Houston Thunderbears. Marinovich was drafted to the all-rookie team and as the Avengers' franchisee, but the day he got his signing bonus he was arrested for buying heroin. Marinovich's career continued to fall apart as he was banned from further games for throwing things at referees, and was eventually suspended from the team in 2001.

Marinovich's professional career is widely regarded as a bust, despite flashes of brilliance. Marinovich was included in ESPN.com's list of the Top 25 Biggest Sports Flops in 2004, placing fourth on the ESPN.com editors' list and seventh on the readers' list.

Marinovich decided to continue his education under the guidance of AAA Hall of Fame head coach J. David Miller of the six-time champion and SoCal Coyotes of Development Football International (DFI). Marinovich, who spent a year as a successful spring coaching the Coyotes and working with local youth in the Coachella Valley, decided to play for the team in an effort to be the team's oldest starting quarterback in pro football. Miller decided to stick by his aging player's resolve to sobriety and signed Marinovich on July 3, 2017. Miller said Marinovich's comeback had "very little to do with football" as the signing was mainly meant to aid the quarterback in rehabilitating.

Marinovich attended mandatory meetings and workouts with the offense's designer Mouse Davis to learn the intricacies of Miller's run-and-shooting offense. He was tutored by Michael Karls, Midland University's second all-time leading passer who decided to vote in favour of Marinovich amid the age difference. Marinovich also competed with 25-year-old Jacob Russell for the starting job, which the elder quarterback won.

A sober, 48-year-old Marinovich stepped back into pro football on September 3, 2017 wearing his traditional number 12 that he wore at both USC and the Raiders. The Coyotes defeated the California Sharks 73–0, with 19 for 282 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions. In a post-game interview, he said it was his first game since being sober since he was 15 years old. Nonetheless, he was forced to withdraw immediately from team activities due to his continued shoulder pain. He never played again.

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