Hall of Fame QB reveals the serious health condition he’s been quietly fighting for years

Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino spent 17 years evading defenders on the field. Now he’s facing a different kind of challenge, a liver disease that has affected his daily life.

Marino told People’s Cara Lynn Shultz that he was diagnosed with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). According to the Cleveland Clinic, MASH is a liver disease that occurs when fat accumulates in the liver. Although it can be reversible, it could lead to further liver damage such as cirrhosis or liver cancer if left untreated.

Marino said he first noticed something was wrong in 2007 when he began feeling tired more often than usual. Fatigue is one symptom of the disease, along with unexpected weight loss, muscle weakness and upper abdominal discomfort.

“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 said.

Marino followed his doctor’s advice to improve his diet, which he believes contributed to his MASH diagnosis, and increase his exercise routine. While he still needs regular ultrasounds to monitor his liver, his prognosis has improved significantly.

“It’s the exercise, riding bike, walking and diet, and then getting back to just being consistent, waking up and making sure you have to do something every day,” Marino said.

Marino was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005 after throwing for 61,361 yards, 420 touchdowns and 252 interceptions, all with the Dolphins. He was also selected as the league’s MVP in 1984, chosen as an All-Pro three times and named to the Pro Bowl nine times.