Dan Marino just turned 64, and instead of another highlight clip or hot take, he gave football fans something a little more real to chew on. On his birthday he let the world in on a secret he’s kept since 2007: he’s been living with MASH — metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatohepatitis. MASH is a liver disease where too much fat builds up and causes inflammation — eventually it starts breaking down, and if you don’t adjust, it can lead to real damage. 

For nearly two decades he kept it private, quietly doing the work, and now he’s decided it’s time to talk about it. Not because he’s looking for sympathy, but because he knows awareness matters.

That feels very Marino — straightforward, decisive, like the way he used to snap off those quick seam throws. He felt some fatigue, went in for a checkup, and found out what most folks still call “fatty liver.” The doctors told him it was manageable and even reversible with some changes. So he listened: cleaned up the diet, recommitted to working out, and stayed consistent.

For Dolphins fans, Marino fans, or anyone who remembers the magic of that 1984 season, the bottom line is pretty simple: he’s doing fine, keeping things under control, and now putting his name behind a message that could help a lot of other people.

The Reveal: Why Now and What He Actually Said

Marino first learned about his condition in 2007 during a routine exam — no dramatic ER visit, no collapse, no tabloid moment. Just a checkup, some labs, and a conversation that changed his day‑to‑day. He admitted he’d drifted from the regimented post‑practice lifts and weigh‑ins that come with the job. Retirement is funny that way: the structure disappears, the calendar opens up, and suddenly “I’ll work out later” stretches for weeks. Sound familiar?

He said he felt “a little fatigued,” nothing dramatic, just the kind of tired you might shrug off until the labs came back with a bigger story. That’s when doctors told him he had MASH, and that it could be turned around if he got serious about his health. For a guy wired on routine his whole career, that clicked. He tightened up the diet, found consistency again, and made it part of his everyday life. These days he talks about long walks and bike rides with his wife, Claire, and getting pushed in workouts by his old teammate Terry Kirby, who treats him like it’s still training camp. He joked about dialing back the wine, pizza, and ice cream — not because he’s aiming to be perfect, but because the real win is just showing up and sticking with it every single day.

There's no doubt, sharing this now is intentional. Marino’s using his platform to hammer home a simple message: go get checked. If you’ve let the gym bag collect dust or your dinner table looks like a highlight reel of comfort food, he gets it — he was there, too. But what he’s learned is that early detection matters. Catching this before it snowballs can change everything. If No. 13 can admit he let things slide and still turn it around, the rest of us don’t have much excuse not to at least pick up the phone and schedule that appointment.

A Little Village and a Lot of Consistency

Marino’s playbook now is full of little, repeatable things. Walks. Rides. Lifting with Kirby. He has a support system — family, old teammates, friends — that keeps the cadence. It’s what he called a “little village.” That phrase hits because it’s how most people succeed at this stuff. Yeah, personal responsibility matters. But a nudge to lace up the shoes tonight instead of tomorrow? That helps. A fridge stocked for the week so takeout isn’t the go-to option every night? That helps, too.

The Relatable Side

A lot of ex‑athletes talk about missing the routine. Marino needs it. For 17 seasons, the man had a clock for every minute of his life — lift here, meeting there, practice now, film later, plane by 5. Then it’s gone, and it’s way too easy to let the consistency fade. He’s basically telling on himself: he let the diet slide, the workouts got spotty, and that’s how MASH got its foot in the door. It doesn’t make him weak; it makes him like the rest of us.

There’s no miracle trick in his story. It’s the opposite; it's unglamorous and repeatable. Better food choices. Less “I earned this” dessert. A couple of friends who won’t let you bail. A partner who keeps the calendar tight. It’s not revolutionary, but it works — especially when you start before things get scary.

What to Take From Marino’s Announcement

Marino didn’t hold a press conference to drop some grim news. Instead, he cracked the door open on something he’s quietly handled for years and basically said, take a peek, learn from it, and catch yours before it sneaks up on you. That’s classic Marino. Efficient, straight to the point, and always right on time.

If you’re a fan who grew up mimicking that elbow snap in the backyard, here’s the modern version you can steal from him: do the simple thing today. Book the appointment. Take the walk. Make the slightly better food choice. It’s the unsexy stuff that wins over time. Marino would know. He won a lot by doing the fundamentals better than everybody else.