Boston Rob Mariano reveals why he turned down ‘Survivor 50’

Boston Rob Mariano is taking full responsibility for his absence from the Survivor 50 cast list.

The five-time Survivor player and one-time winner posted a lengthy statement to his Instagram on Friday revealing why he turned down a spot on the coveted milestone season’s cast list.

“Wow!!! I got all of your DM‘s and messages so so many thank you all!!” Mariano wrote. “But literally don’t be mad @survivorcbs and @jeffprobst early on they called and asked… I just felt like I have played so many times and I am truly fulfilled with my Survivor Journey.”

The legendary player, who was the first to ever hit five seasons on the long-running CBS series, added that he hoped dropping out of season 50 would allow someone else to get another chance at the title of Sole Survivor.

“I wanted my spot to go to someone else that deserved another chance!” he wrote. “I’ve gotten so much out of Survivor. It will always be a part of who I am! I’m eternally grateful. Like I said ..It’s gonna be OK. I feel like something good is coming!!!”

Survivor 50 won’t air until 2026, but host and showrunner Probst already announced the full cast on Wednesday. The supersized group of 24 returning players is the series’ biggest cast ever, featuring contestants going all the way back to season 1 of Survivor: Borneo (Jenna Lewis-Dougherty) as well as two yet-unnamed competitors from Survivor 49, which just filmed a few weeks ago and will air this fall on CBS.

The cast also features two legends competing for the fifth time, Cirie Fields and Ozzy Lusth, tying Mariano’s record as the most seasons ever played. Other notable returning players include The White Lotus creator Mike White and recent winners Dee Valladares (Survivor 45) and Kyle Fraser (Survivor 48).

Mariano previously told Entertainment Weekly that he was ready to field Survivor 50 alliance requests. “I’m stirring it up on social media like I like to do,” he said in 2024. “So slide into the DMs, all you former players, and we’ll let you know whether or not you can get in the alliance or not. Actually, talk to my secretary, Sandra [Diaz-Twine]. She’s fielding all the requests.”

However, he previously told EW a few months earlier that he was not open to appearing on the show the way it’s currently constructed. “I mean, in what capacity?” he said. “As a contestant playing with everyone else, it just feels like we’ve been there and we’ve done that.”

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He added that he was still down to appear on the show either in a mentor role again (as he appeared on the Island of the Idols season) or another way in which he will not be immediately eliminated due to his massive threat level.

“I’ve always said it would take some kind of unique format change to make me go back and compete over there,” he said. “Something would have to happen, otherwise we’re faced with the same situation where they gang up on me and want to get me out, or keep me around for a little bit, or whatever… I think there would have to be a pretty dynamic format shift to get me excited to get back out there.”

Mariano also recently competed on Peacock’s The Traitors and NBC’s Deal or No Deal Island, but came up short of winning either series.