The NFL legend thought he was getting routine bloodwork. What he learned next could help millions of Americans.
When the NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino talks, people listen. Known for his rocket arm and a career that cemented him as one of the greatest players in football history, Marino has historically stuck to topics in sports. But in 2007, seven years after retiring from the NFL, Marino learned he had MASH (metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis), a liver disease.
According to the American Liver Foundation, MASH is a “dangerously progressive form” of metabolic dysfuction-association steatotic liver disease (MASLD), meaning there’s excess “buildup” of fat within the liver. Formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, MASLD affected 86 million Americans in 2020—and nearly 15 million have been diagnosed with MASH, per a January 2025 report published in a journal of the American Medical Association. The findings also predicted the number of MASH cases will increase to more than 23 million Americans by 2050.
Now, with football season underway, Marino, 64, is opening up about his own MASH diagnosis, which he first learned of in 2007. He’s also lending his voice to a new “Unordinary Stories” awareness campaign with the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. The aim? To help fans, athletes, and everyday people understand the risks of MASH, why early detection matters, and the steps you can take to protect your liver health. [Editor’s note: Though MASH is known as a “silent disease” and usually presents with no or few symptoms, Novo Nordisk points out that fatigue, back pain, abdominal pain, or weakness could all be possible warning signs. Stay up on routine medical appointments and share your symptoms with your doctor.]
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The Healthy by Reader’s Digest: Dan, we are so grateful for this chance to talk with you. You’ve shared that you were diagnosed with a serious liver disease that many people haven’t even heard of. What was your reaction when you first got the news—and what prompted the testing?
Dan Marino: I found out through routine blood tests and doctor visits, just normal checkups. I didn’t have many symptoms—maybe a little fatigue after I retired and wasn’t taking care of myself the way I should have.
That’s really the point of this awareness campaign: to encourage people to get checked so they know if they have it. Because if you do have it, it’s manageable.
The Healthy: Why did you decide to speak publicly about your diagnosis, and what do you hope people take away from this campaign?
Dan Marino: It’s all about awareness. Fatty liver disease is manageable, but 15 million Americans have [MASH]—and a lot of people don’t know. If I can make a difference, maybe people will go to their doctor, ask about it, get their physicals, and catch it early. Because sometimes people have no idea until they get that blood test.
The Healthy: This campaign launches just as the NFL season kicks off. What message do you hope fans and the public hear?
Dan Marino: The message is simple: see your doctor. Know that it’s manageable. My doctor told me: exercise, eat right, all the things you hear all the time. But first, you have to know you have it so you can manage it properly.
The Healthy: What did fitness and nutrition look like in your football years compared to now?
Dan Marino: It definitely changes over time. When I retired, I didn’t work out as much, then I got the diagnosis and my doctors told me what I needed to do. Now I’m more aware—I want to be healthy for my wife, kids, and grandkids.
The Healthy: What specific advice did your doctor give you for fitness or nutrition?
Dan Marino: He told me to get moving. I had both knees replaced after I retired because they were a mess. Now I can ride a bike, walk, play some golf—all of that helps … [with] MASH. And diet-wise, they told me to follow the Mediterranean diet instead of eating so much meat. That helps, too.
The Healthy: What’s one wellness or self-care ritual you refuse to skip, even when you’re traveling or busy with grandkids?
Dan Marino: Walking. Every day if I can. And riding my bike. I do lift some weights, but not as much as I should—especially as you get older to keep muscles and bones strong. But walking is the main one.
The Healthy: Beyond this campaign, what personal projects or passions are keeping you motivated right now?
Dan Marino: Honestly, it’s seeing if this awareness campaign can make a difference. If even one or two people—or thousands—get checked and make changes, that can be life-changing. That’s why we’re doing this.
For daily wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:
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- NFL Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins Sr. Urges You to Get Ahead of Kidney Disease
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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
