Dan Marino Is All In on Aaron Rodgers' Continued Run with the Steelers
Aaron Rodgers may be 42 and deep into the back nine of his legendary career, but if you ask Dan Marino, the Hall of Famer isn’t ready to see him ride off into the sunset just yet. As Rodgers leads the Pittsburgh Steelers into a critical Monday night showdown against the Miami Dolphins, Marino is firmly in the quarterback's corner-pulling for him to keep playing, retirement talk be damned.
This isn’t just a case of one great quarterback tipping his cap to another. For Marino, there’s a personal layer to this matchup.
He grew up in Pittsburgh, starred at Pitt, and after wrapping up his iconic run with the Dolphins in 2000, he was even offered a chance to suit up for the Steelers. He declined, but the connection to the city-and the franchise-has never faded.
Now, Marino is watching another future Hall of Famer carry the torch for his hometown team. And Rodgers is doing it with typical flair.
Through 12 games, he’s thrown 20 touchdowns against seven interceptions, sporting a 96.2 passer rating. Those numbers have kept the Steelers firmly in the mix for both the AFC North title and a third straight playoff appearance.
Marino recently spoke about Rodgers during a conversation with DJ Siddiqi of Poker Scout, and while the two haven’t crossed paths often-mostly at celebrity golf events in Lake Tahoe or during Marino’s CBS broadcasting days-his admiration for Rodgers is clear.
“He’s an incredible player,” Marino said. “He throws it as good as anybody ever has in the league.”
That’s not just lip service. Coming from a man who once redefined the quarterback position himself, it’s high praise.
Marino sees something deeper in Rodgers beyond just the arm talent. He sees a guy who still plays with fire, who still lives and breathes the game.
“He still has it in his heart and soul,” Marino added. “He’s still playing at a high level.”
Rodgers, for his part, seems to be embracing this elder statesman role with a healthy mix of humor and competitiveness. When Philip Rivers recently un-retired to join the Colts, Rodgers joked that he’s no longer the league’s oldest active player.
But he also gave Rivers his due-praising his toughness, football IQ, and elite-level trash talk. It’s that blend of self-awareness and edge that Marino finds compelling in this late chapter of Rodgers’ career.
As the Steelers prepare to host Miami under the Monday night lights, Rodgers’ future remains a question mark. Will he return in 2026?
Will this be his final run? No one knows for sure-not even Rodgers.
But what’s clear is that he’s still got the juice. And if you ask Dan Marino, he’s hoping Rodgers keeps pushing off that final decision and keeps doing what he does best-slinging it, competing, and making Sundays (and Mondays) a little more exciting.