Boston Rob Mariano is not part of the star-studded Survivor 50 cast, but that doesn’t mean fans have seen the last of the Survivor legend.
Mariano, 49, teased his future plans on Friday, May 30, sharing an image from Page Six lamenting his exclusion from the cast via his Instagram stories.
“It’s gonna be OK…I feel like something good is coming!!!🔥” he wrote over the post.
The Survivor: Redemption Island winner expanded in a post to his feed.
“Wow!!! I got all of your DM‘s and messages so so many thank you all!! ♥️” he wrote. “But literally don’t be mad @survivorcbs and @jeffprobst early on they called and asked… I wanted my spot to go to someone else. I am truly fulfilled with my Survivor Journey and I’m eternally grateful!🔥”
Mariano has branched out far beyond Survivor in his reality TV career, though he’s played the CBS staple five times and appeared as a mentor in another season. He has also done two seasons of The Amazing Race and played The Traitors, Deal or No Deal Island and returned for the DONDI’s second season to host its aftershow.
Mariano explained in April that, rather than playing another reality TV game this summer, he’s hoping to spend more time with his kids. He and fellow Survivor winner Amber Brkich recently celebrated 20 years of marriage. They share daughters Lucia, 15, Carina, 14, Isabetta, 12, and Adelina, 10.
“At this point, I’m kind of just hanging out,” he told People. “I don’t have a desire to go back and compete in that realm right now. I’m going to take a little break, the kids are off for the summer.”
“I truly feel like I’m the luckiest person in the world,” he continued. “I didn’t expect to be still doing it after 25 years, so never say never. You never know what’s going to happen.”
Getting Mariano back on Survivor, however, may not be easy. In a 2024 interview with TV Insider, he acknowledged that his long history on the show has made him a target. He doesn’t want to appear on another season only to be immediately voted out.
“I don’t feel any desire to go back there and play the game again, especially where they’re just gonna use me for a little bit and vote me out,” he said.
Though Mariano won’t go to Fiji for Survivor 50, which will air in 2026, the all-returnees season will feature fan favorites like Cirie Fields, Mike White, Ozzy Lusth and Aubrey Bracco.
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