Ed Marinaro

Ed Marinaro (born March 31, 1950) is an American actor and former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football for the Cornell Big Red, where he was a unanimous All-America and won the Maxwell Award in 1971.

From 2010 to 2011, Marinaro starred in the football comedy series Blue Mountain State. He is also known as a regular cast member of Hill Street Blues, playing Officer Joe Coffey for five seasons (1981–1986).

Career Football Marinaro played high school football in New Milford, New Jersey, for the New Milford High School Knights.

Marinaro played college football at Cornell University, where he was a three-time All-America, and set over 16 NCAA records. He was the first running back in NCAA history to run for 4,000 career rushing yards, and led the nation in rushing in 1971.

Marinaro was runner-up to Pat Sullivan for the Heisman Trophy in 1971, the highest finish for an Ivy League player since the league de-emphasized football in the mid-1950s. Princeton's Dick Kazmaier won the award in 1951 when the Ivy was still considered a major football conference. Marinaro won the 1971 Maxwell Award and the UPI College Football Player of the Year as the top player in college football. He holds four NCAA records: most rushes per game in a season (39.6 in 1971), career average carries per game (34.0, 1969–71), most rushing yards per game over an entire career (174.6, 1969–71), and earliest game reaching 1,000 rushing yards (5th, 1971).

While at Cornell, Marinaro was a member of Psi Upsilon and was selected for membership in the Sphinx Head Society. He went on to play professional football for six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks, appearing in Super Bowl VIII and Super Bowl IX with the Vikings. He scored 6 touchdowns over his career.

Acting After leaving football, Marinaro became an actor. He has been a cast member on a number of television series, including Laverne & Shirley and Sisters. He joined the regular cast of Hill Street Blues in 1981, playing officer Joe Coffey until 1986. Furthermore, he co-presented the Crystal Light USA National Aerobic Championship. He also appeared in the 2006 film Circus Island.

Marinaro played the head football coach for three seasons on Spike TV's comedy, Blue Mountain State.

In September 2019, Marinaro was a guest on Turner Classic Movies. With Ben Mankiewicz, he appeared in wraparounds and provided introductions for films in a college football-themed series.

Personal life Marinaro is married to fitness expert Tracy York and has one son.

Honors Marinaro was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991.

In January 2020, Marinaro was named by ESPN as one of the "150 greatest players in college football's 150-year history", ranking at number 126. He was one of only three Ivy League players on the list. ESPN wrote of Marinaro, "It is up for debate as to whether Marinaro is the last great running back produced by the Ivy League. What is not up for debate are the numbers that illustrate his production."

Filmography

Film + Year Title Role 1978 Fingers Gino 1980 The Gong Show Movie Man In Locker Room 1983 Imps* Phil 1987 Dead Aim Malcolm "Mace" Douglas 1991 Queens Logic Jack 1998 The Protector Gabriel 2005 Urban Legends: Bloody Mary Bill Owens 2006 Circus Camp Carlos Carrera 2006 Fist of the Warrior Raymond Miles 2016 Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland Coach Marty Daniels 2018 An L.A. Minute Jake 2019 Love & Debt Carl 2021 A Unicorn for Christmas Horace

Television Year Title Role Notes 1977 The Edge of Night Packey Dietrich various episodes 1978 Flying High Alex Episode: "Swan Song for an Ugly Duckling" 1980 Eischied Unknown Episode: "Buddy System" 1980–1981 Laverne & Shirley Sonny St. Jacques / Antonio DeFazio 11 episodes 1981–1986 Hill Street Blues Officer Joe Coffey 104 episodes 1982 Born Beautiful Doug Trainer Television film 1983 Policewoman Centerfold Nick Velano 1987 Tonight's the Night Hayden Fox 1987 CBS Schoolbreak Special Mr. Powell Episode: "What If I'm Gay?" 1987 Private Eyes Nickey "The Rose" Episode: "Nickey the Rose" 1987–1988 Falcon Crest John Remick 5 episodes 1988 Sharing Richard Dr. Richard Bernowski Television film 1988 Shades of Love: The Emerald Tear Edward DeCoursey 1988 The Diamond Trap Detective Brendan Thomas 1988 My Sister Sam Billy Rossetti Episode: "The Thrill of Agony, the Victory of Defeat" 1989 Dynasty Creighton Boyd 2 episodes 1989 The Twilight Zone Darius Stephens Episode: "Father & Son Game" 1989 Baby Boom Eric Episode: "X-y-l-o-p-h-o-n-e" 1989 Mick and Frankie Mick Loomis Television film 1990 Grand Eddie Pasetti 3 episodes 1990 Menu for Murder Detective Joe Russo Television film 1991 Midnight Caller Joe Holloway Episode: "Her Dirty Little Secret" 1991 Monsters Matrin Episode: "Talk Nice to Me" 1991–1994 Sisters Mitch Margolis 75 episodes 1992 Amy Fisher: My Story Joey Buttafuoco Television film 1993 Passport to Murder Hank McKay 1994 Dancing with Danger Derek Lidor 1994 Dream On Policeman Episode: "The Taking of Pablum 1-2-3: Part I" 1994 Touched by an Angel Jack Episode: "An Unexpected Snow" 1995 Favorite Deadly Sins Actor Playing Frank Musso Television film 1996 Deadly Web Jones 1996 Panic in the Skies! Brett Young 1996 Champs Vince Mazzilli 11 episodes 1997 Doomsday Rock FBI Agent Paul Television film 1998 Grace Under Fire Dan Gabriel Episode: "Fire in the Hole" 1998 Catch Me If You Can Captain Morris Bernasky Television film 1999 A Gift of Love: The Daniel Huffman Story Coach Jack Farkas 1999 Odd Man Out Bill Episode: "Punch Line" 1999 Oh, Grow Up Sal Episode: "Goodwill Hunter" 2000 Twice in a Lifetime Mr. Bogart Episode: "Curveball" 2001 Avalanche Alley Rick Television film 2002 Third Watch Tommy Episode: "Two Hundred and Thirty-Three Days" 2003 8 Simple Rules Byron Episode: "Good Moms Gone Wild" 2003 Monk Stewart Babcock Episode: "Mr. Monk and the 12th Man" 2005 Jane Doe: Til Death Do Us Part Vincent Colabella Television film 2008 Yeti: Curse of the Snow Demon Coach Gorfida 2010–2011 Blue Mountain State Coach Marty Daniels 39 episodes 2011 Days of Our Lives Leo 3 episodes 2013 Drop Dead Diva Peter Bronson Episode: "Missed Congeniality" 2019 SnowComing Coach Kerrigan Television film