PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Dolphins great Dan Marino acknowledged having an affair with a former co-worker and fathering a love child, according to a report in The New York Post.
The Post broke the story early Thursday morning.
Recommended Videos
Marino Poll
Marino reportedly met production assistant, Donna Savattere, at CBS Sports' Manhattan studio in 2003. The former Miami Dolphin is affiliated with CBS as a pregame analyst.
In 2005, Savattere gave birth to their daughter, a girl named Chloe, according to the Post.
At the time, Marino and his wife, Claire, had been married for 20 years. They have six children.
"This is a personal and private matter. I take full responsibility both personally and financially for my actions now as I did then," Marino reportedly said in a written statement to The New York Post. "We mutually agreed to keep our arrangement private to protect all parties involved. My wife and I have been married for almost 30 years and have six children together. And we continue to be a strong and loving family."
"I don't think Dan Marino owes me an explanation. I don't think Dan Marino owes Miami an explanation, and it seems like Dan Marino's handling his business just fine. I don't know. I don't think it's a story," said Marc Hochman, a talk show host at 790 the Ticket. "We're not actually avoiding the Dan Marino story. I came in with a lot of things to talk about today -- Heat had a big win, Super Bowl week is going on."
The Post reports that Marino paid Savattere millions of dollars for Chole's care.
Savattere has since remarried.
Pierson Grant Public Relations CEO Maria Pierson said Marino has handled the difficult situation well so far.
"His image is obviously going to take a hit with this, but I think he is doing all the right things. He is sincere. He is apologetic. He has shown remorse and that is what you need to do in order to move on," she said. "The bandage has got to come off sooner or later. We always tell people we might not find out about it today, we might not find out about it tomorrow, but we are going to find out about it, so it is in your best interest to come clean right off the bat."
Pierson added that Marino's reputation is at stake.
"He has a high profile nationally and a high profile locally. He is well thought of in the community. He does great work with his foundation and certainly he has brought extreme attention the issue of autism," she said.
Attorney Adam Swickle said Marino's case may be quickly forgotten.
"This will just be a blip on the screen in his life and eventually it will be something that will not effect him," he said.
To read the New York Post's full report, click here.