The Super Bowl is just days away, and Miami Dolphins legend Dan Marino is set to work as part of CBS’ broadcast team before the big game begins. However, the Hall of Famer may find himself answering a number of questions unrelated to football over the next several days.
On Thursday morning, the NY Post published an exclusive story revealing that Marino fathered a child out of wedlock in 2005. Marino has worked as a CBS pregame analyst since 2003, and the woman he reportedly impregnated is a former CBS production assistant named Donna Savattere. She was 35 at the time.
“They had an affair, and she had a baby,” a source reportedly revealed to the Post. “Everything was on the down-low and secretive.”
The 51-year-old Marino reportedly paid Savattere millions of dollars to keep quiet about their daughter Chloe, who was born in June of 2005. On Wednesday, he issued a statement to the Post admitting to the infidelity.
“This is a personal and private matter,” Marino wrote. “I take full responsibility both personally and financially for my actions now as I did then. We mutually agreed to keep our arrangement private to protect all parties involved.”
Marino and his wife have six children, including two adopted daughters, and have been married for 28 years as of Wednesday. At the time of the affair, they had been married for 20 years. Marino claims his marriage remains intact despite the affair.
“My wife and I have been married for almost 30 years and have six children together,” he wrote. “And we continue to be a strong and loving family.”
The Post’s source said that Marino and his 7-year-old daughter have had “impromptu meetings,” which was part of the deal he arranged with Savattere in addition to the money he paid her. She has reportedly since married a man she met in the Bahamas in 2009 named Nahill Younis. Savattere and Younis also have a child of their own.
What was supposed to be an exciting and enjoyable week for Marino likely just became a long and stressful one.
