Born in New York city, Ed Marinaro was a Cornell University graduate Class of 1972; He became a professional football player the same year for the Minnesota Vikings and helped his team to consecutive SuperBowls in 1973 and 1974.
He was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991. He decided to become an actor while he was recovering from a foot injury (a suggestion made by his teammate NY Jets,Joe Namath).
He then quit Football and moved to L.A to study acting, where he soon be casted for a guest shot in an episode of the police drama Eischied
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