Dan Marino's 5,000-Yard Record Game: A 1984 Dolphins-Cowboys Ticket

StubHaul owns and is documenting this original full-format ticket from the Miami Dolphins' December 17, 1984 Monday night game against the Dallas Cowboys at the Orange Bowl. The game closed Dan Marino's historic regular season: 5,084 passing yards, the NFL's first 5,000-yard season. We plan to submit the ticket to PSA for authentication and grading and will update this page when that process is complete.

Artifact at a glance

What can be read directly from the ticket

The face names Orange Bowl Stadium, Miami Dolphins Football, the Dallas Cowboys, the December 17 date and the seating assignment. It retains both orange side panels and the numbered white portion on the right. The printed Dolphins marks, type alignment, stock, perforations and reverse will all matter during an in-hand authentication review.

The photograph supports those descriptive observations, but a photograph cannot establish authenticity, alteration status or a numerical grade. We therefore describe the piece as an apparent original pending PSA's independent examination.

Why this game is a genuine record ticket

Marino entered the final regular-season game already in the midst of one of the most important quarterback seasons in NFL history. He had surpassed Y.A. Tittle's long-standing single-season touchdown-pass record earlier in December. The Dallas game supplied the final 340 passing yards that brought Marino to 5,084—282 yards beyond Dan Fouts's previous league record of 4,802 and the first season ever above 5,000.

He finished 1984 with 48 touchdown passes and a 108.9 passer rating, earned NFL Most Valuable Player honors and was named first-team All-Pro. The distinction matters: this is the ticket from the night Marino completed the first 5,000-yard season, not the game in which he initially broke the touchdown-pass record.

What happened against Dallas

Miami won 28-21. Marino completed 23 of 40 passes for 340 yards and four touchdowns. Mark Clayton caught three touchdown passes, including a 63-yard score in the final minute that broke a 21-21 tie. Clayton's three scores brought him to 18 touchdown receptions for the season, then an NFL record.

That combination gives the ticket several documented associations: Marino's 5,000-yard milestone, his 48-touchdown season, Clayton's 18-touchdown season and a dramatic nationally televised finish between two prominent franchises.

What the ticket proves—and what it does not

Condition observations before grading

The face remains highly legible and the principal printed sections are present. Visible handling, edge wear, corner softness, surface marks, perforation condition and any reverse-side issues may affect a grader's assessment. We are intentionally not predicting a grade from the photograph.

Before submission we will document both sides under neutral light, record measurements, preserve the acquisition history and avoid any attempt to improve the appearance. Cleaning, erasing, pressing, trimming, taping or laminating could alter the artifact and compromise an authentication review.

How a collector can examine another example

1. Match the opponent, venue, date, time and seating layout to a known example.
2. Compare typography, Dolphins graphics, colors, numbering and perforation placement.
3. Inspect the reverse and all edges; a front photograph alone is insufficient.
4. Look for trimming, repaired tears, added color, adhesive, cleaning or replaced portions.
5. Keep provenance such as the seller's history, old envelopes or contemporaneous paperwork.
6. For a consequential purchase, use an independent ticket authenticator rather than relying on a listing description.

Why full format can matter

Full tickets and detached stubs are different collecting formats. A complete example preserves more of the venue, seating, pricing and serial information, while a used stub may provide stronger evidence that a patron entered. Neither format is automatically superior in every market; scarcity, condition, authentication, eye appeal and buyer preference determine demand.

Preservation and PSA submission plan

We are storing the ticket flat in an archival, non-PVC holder, away from ultraviolet light, moisture and temperature swings. It is handled only by the edges. For shipment, the holder should prevent movement without applying pressure to the paper, and the package should be tracked and insured according to the declared value.

PSA will make its own findings about authenticity, alterations and grade. When the submission returns, we intend to add the result, certification details and updated slab photographs so readers can compare the pre-submission observations with the professional assessment.

How we think about value without inventing a number

There is not enough evidence here for a responsible public price estimate. A defensible valuation would require authenticated comparable sales for the same game and format, adjustments for condition and completeness, and consideration of how frequently another full ticket appears. Asking prices are not completed sales, and a famous milestone alone does not guarantee a particular result.

That is why StubHaul does not publish a speculative range before grading. The page will separate verified facts from market opinion and will identify the source and date of any future comparable sale we discuss.

Methodology and editorial standard

This report combines direct ownership and inspection of the ticket with independently sourced event history. We do not claim personal attendance, predict a PSA result or present an asking price as a sale. Where the artifact cannot answer a question—such as whether it was used—we say so plainly.

Sources

• Miami Dolphins: December 17, 1984 game account
• Pro Football Hall of Fame: Marino's 1984 record season
• Pro Football Hall of Fame: Marino's 1984 season totals
• Pro Football Reference: Dolphins-Cowboys box score

Related: selling old football ticket stubs and how to store ticket stubs safely.