Miami Dolphins legend Dan Marino retired from the NFL as the league's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns. However, in 2007, Marino was diagnosed with liver disease, and now, he's sharing his story with others to raise awareness.
Marino noticed that he'd become a little fatigued since his playing days had ended, and says that he wasn't working out the way he used to. The gridiron great was diagnosed with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH for short. This disease occurs in the body when excess fat cells accumulate in the liver, which can cause chronic inflammation that leads to scarring of the liver, known as cirrhosis, as well as liver cancer, per the Cleveland Clinic.
“The doctors right away said that [MASH] can be reversible, it can be taken care of, but, mainly for me, they were saying, like, ‘You gotta work out. You got to lose weight,’” Marino told People.
Now, Marino is speaking out about his diagnosis and the disease as part of Novo Nordisk’s Unordinary Stories campaign. The campaign centers around athletes sharing their "unordinary" or unique health journeys.
“I wasn't really working out as much as I should — because I used to work out when I played all the time, and I kind of got away from that a little bit,” Marino admitted.
The Hall of Fame quarterback received the support of family and friends during his journey through navigating his liver disease diagnosis. Marino's wife, Claire, helps him with doctor's appointments, making sure he's on time and doing what he needs to do. Former Dolphins teammate Terry Kirby trains Marino at his gym.
“It's the people that love you and you love them. It feels like a little village.”
Since his diagnosis, Marino has realized he needs to focus on his health consistently. After playing 17 years in the NFL, Marino let his diet go, and that's what he believes brought on the disease. He wants people to know that if you do get diagnosed with MASH (fatty liver), diet and exercise are two key components to turning it around.
Marino spent all 17 of his NFL seasons as the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins. He was the career leader in multiple passing categories when he retired in 2000, including yards (61,361) and touchdown passes (420). In 1984, Marino became the first NFL quarterback to pass for 5,000 yards, while also being named league MVP and a first-team All-Pro.
That same season, Marino led the Dolphins to his only Super Bowl appearance, where they came up short against the San Francisco 49ers.