MIAMI - Dan Marino's visit was a surprise to Wayne Huizenga. His reason was even more stunning.
Marino, five weeks removed from asking for an executive position in the Miami Dolphins organization and only three weeks after accepting the senior vice president job created solely for him, resigned Tuesday and left the team he quarterbacked for 17 seasons.
As recently as Sunday, Marino denied reports saying he was having second thoughts about assuming control of the Dolphins' football operations. But at 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, he made an unannounced visit to Huizenga's office and quit, spurning attempts the owner made to change his mind.
"I heard about it on the television a couple of days ago, but I didn't believe it," Huizenga said. "Needless to say, we're disappointed. Dan is a great guy, and we like him a lot. He would have been good for this organization."
A telephone message left at Marino's home was not returned.
"I have decided that it would not be in the best interests of either my family or the Dolphins to assume the role as the team's senior vice president of football operations," Marino said in a statement released by the team.
"I knew it would involve a significant lifestyle change. But after further reflection, it became clear that those adjustments were ones that my family and I are not prepared to make at this time."
Marino played for the Dolphins from 1983-99 and took them to Super Bowl XIX. He holds NFL records with 61,361 yards passing and 420 touchdown passes.
He planned to leave his analyst jobs at CBS Sports and HBO to come back to the Dolphins, beginning a full-time role next week. Marino had been part of at least one team personnel meeting and was at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., for one day but never took control of the football operations.
Huizenga said the Dolphins will begin searching for "a senior executive who has an extensive football background" to join Miami's management team and oversee football operations. It has not been determined if that person would have the same title Marino was given.
Gibbs' staff set
Joe Gibbs will have two assistant head coaches, plus separate offensive and defensive coordinators, when he returns to the sideline after an 11-year retirement.
Former Bills coach Gregg Williams was listed as "assistant head coach - defense," while former Bears defensive coordinator Greg Blache is defensive coordinator and defensive line coach.
Joe Bugel, who built "The Hogs" as offensive line coach under Gibbs in the 1980s, returns as "assistant head coach - offense." Don Breaux, the running backs coach during Gibbs' first stint, is the offensive coordinator. Longtime NFL guru Ernie Zampese will be a consultant for the offense.
Gibbs' son, Coy, was given an entry-level position, making Joe Gibbs the third consecutive Redskins coach to have a relative on his staff. Stan Hixon, receivers coach at LSU, will hold the same job with the Redskins. The only holdover from Steve Spurrier's staff is defensive and special teams assistant Kirk Olivadotti.
BENGALS: Efforts to grow a natural grass field in Paul Brown Stadium have been abandoned.
Despite underground heating and irrigation, a new mix of the sand and dirt base, and creation of their own turf farm, the team has not been able to create a surface with good enough footing.
BILLS: Former Jaguars linebackers coach Steve Szabo was hired as defensive backs coach. ... Former Bucs coach Sam Wyche is being considered for quarterbacks coach.
