One of the faces of the Miami Dolphins’ quarterback wilderness is getting a happy ending to his football career
When you think about disappointing quarterbacks with the Miami Dolphins, Pat White is near the top of the list.
The trail of quarterbacks the Miami Dolphins have left in Dan Marino’s wake is extensive.
There have been a handful of moderate successes — including Chad Pennington, Ryan Tannehill, and Tua Tagovailoa. But for every one of them, there’s more other challengers who failed to even meet the standard of an average NFL starter. It’s a long and painful list. The Dolphins have tried just about every possible avenue for an answer, too. That includes some expensive bets in free agency, via trade, and the NFL Draft. One such bet the Dolphins placed has recently received one last honor for his playing career — despite being one of the most disappointing quarterbacks the Dolphins have tried.
Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Pat White is having his number retired by West Virginia University
Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Pat White was, probably, a bit ahead of his time for the NFL game. The Dolphins made him a second-round draft choice in the 2009 NFL Draft, with hopes that he would further revolutionize the Wildcat offense that helped Miami go from worst to first in the AFC East the previous year.
White ultimately proved to be an ill fit for the NFL. He played just 13 games in the league, averaging less than 4 yards per carry and failing to complete a forward pass. The struggles were evident early upon his arrival in South Florida. And, to top it all off, he didn’t go out on his own terms. White suffered a severe concussion at the end of his rookie season and was released by the Dolphins the following fall.
White went down as one of the faces of Miami’s great quarterback wilderness in life after Dan Marino. But he wasn’t drafted in the second round of nothing. White was one of the most prolific dual threat quarterbacks in college football. He accounted for more than 10,000 yards and more than 100 total touchdowns throughout the course of his career at West Virginia.
The Mountaineers are giving White’s football career a happy ending and bestowing on him the ultimate honor. The university announced on Friday that no player at the school would ever wear White’s No. 5 ever again. His number is retired. It’s a great gesture by the school. And a proper acknowledgement of how good White was in his prime.
He may not have achieved it at the highest level of the sport. But Pat White is getting what every player can only hope for on the gridiron. A happy ending and a legacy that will last a lifetime.
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