'Boston' Rob Mariano Spills All AboutThe Traitors —Including Wife Amber Mariano's Chances on the Series (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Amber Mariano and Rob Mariano in February 2020 at the premiere of ‘Survivor’ 40.Photo:David Livingston/Getty

David Livingston/Getty

“Boston” Rob Marianoisn’t sure whetherhis wife of nearly 20 yearswould be a Faithful or a Traitor.

Speaking with PEOPLE exclusively about his time on Peacock’s hit seriesThe Traitors, the reality star goes back and forth about how his lifelong alliance memberAmber Marianowould do if she were thrown into the Scottish castle.

“Every time I think about this, my decision’s completely changed,” Rob, 49, says. “At first I was like, ‘For sure she would not do well as a Traitor. She would have to be a Faithful.’ And then the more I thought about it I was like, ‘Man, but it would be good because nobody would suspect her if she was a Traitor… So now I’m thinking, 100% she could be a Traitor. But I’d see her as a Faithful, too.”

“She’s had enough,” says Rob, who sharesLucia, 15, Karina, 14. Isa, 13 and Adelina, 10 with Amber. “She went back onSurvivor 40because I was like, ‘Listen,Survivor’sgiven us our whole lives. We have to go do this.’ But she didn’t want to go, so I promised her I wouldn’t make her do any more.”

Rob Mariano smiles backstage at ‘Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen’ on Bravo.Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty

Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty

Below, Rob opens up to PEOPLE about his experience onThe Traitors, including who he blames for his downfall (spoiler alert: it’s himself).

PEOPLE: It was so fun to watch you onThe Traitors. You didn’t make it to the end, but how the experience for you?ROB MARIANO: I had an awesome time. Yeah. It was so much fun.

Bob the Drag Queen on ‘The Traitors’ on Peacock.Euan Cherry/Peacock

Euan Cherry/Peacock

Well that you did. Taking downBob the Drag Queenwas epic television. But do you regret that, seeing how it sort of got a lot of people looking at you sideways?Absolutely not. I don’t regret it. I mean, I could have done it maybe an episode or two later, but the problem is after I opened my mouth and started saying it, I had to execute on that. You know what I mean? Because I can’t put the words back. Everybody knows it. And truthfully, that round table was going to be either toCiara [Miller]orNikki [Garcia], and I kind of steered it back to Bob.

You put the blame on Bob for bringing up your name in the first place.It was completely Bob’s fault! Bob’s so smart and he’s such a good player. He was running the show with the Traitors and was playing the Faithfuls side as good. And he is, he just didn’t account for one thing. And that is the fact that I was able to pick up on exactly what he was doing.

How did you figure it out?In the episode before that episode, he tried to putCarolyn [Wiger]in the coffin and that was the first red flag. It’s like, ‘Why would you put suspicion on another Traitor? I know you’re smart enough to know that, Bob.’ I know he knewDanielle [Reyes]was going along with it, but I was the one that stood up. Carolyn wasn’t in there, and I kept her out of there. And then at the very next one, indirectly, he says, ‘Yeah, we got to look at the cage people.’ I was like, ‘Now you’re doing it to me, bro?’ I was like, ‘Uh-uh, not going there.’

Rob Mariano on ‘The Traitors’ on Peacock.Euan Cherry/Peacock

It’s funny, because before that, you were sort of taking a back seat to Bob.I was fully letting him drive before that! Especially with the Jeremy [Collins] murder. I didn’t want to kill Jeremy, but I let it happen. I let him have that and I let them do it. But once he was coming at me, I couldn’t. I had to steer my ship in my direction.

Were you surprised at how quickly things between Danielle and Carolyn devolved? It really felt like no one way on the same page.So really, it’s kind of my fault. Because of what happened with Bob, there’s a chain reaction of events. Even though I told them before that I was going to do it, they didn’t feel like they were active participants in it. So all of a sudden, it instills fear in them.

Rob Mariano on ‘The Traitors’ on Peacock.Euan Cherry/Peacock via Getty

Euan Cherry/Peacock via Getty

Did you know Danielle and Carolyn beforeThe Traitors?Danielle, we may have met before, but I didn’t know her. I don’t know her history onBig Brotheror anything. But I could read her body language that she never, from the beginning, wanted anything to do with me. She saw me as someone she could win a trophy from if she got rid of me. And from her point of view, after I got rid of Bob, she was left with me and Carolyn and the two of us, we’re both from the same show. So she assumed theSurvivorplayers were going to gang up on her. But I didn’t know Carolyn either!

And Carolynreallydidn’t trust you!Oh no, Carolyn knew my reputation fromSurvivor. She didn’t want to be the person who didn’t stand up and take charge of herself. So I can see that through all of their eyes and understand why the chaos ensued.

At the same time, there were Faithfuls who were on your side and definitely did not think for one second that you were a Traitor.Yeah, I mean I had a good relationship withDylan [Efron]. I felt like I had him. They didn’t show it, butChrishell [Stause], Nikki and I worked really well in the statue challenge and we became pretty friendly. We were on the same page. I didn’t want to kill Nikki, but everybody was going that way so I did it.

Ciara Miller and Rob Mariano on ‘The Traitors’ on Peacock.Euan Cherry/Peacock via Getty

You and Ciara seemed close, too?We were. We bonded because when she was put in the coffin, she thought she was trying to be framed. So she bought everything I was saying aboutDerrick [Levasseur], She was smart. I mean, I was lying, but she was smart to think that because she saw the other level to it. It’s just kind of ironic becauseTom [Sandoval]didn’t see that and that was my undoing.

It’s just strange that Danielle and Carolyn didn’t align closer with you, especially after seeing your gameplay over the years. You’re actually a very loyal person, and you always protect your alliances — even if you have to backstab them in the end to win the dough.Absolutely. My people are my people and I will protect them until I can’t anymore. And that’s why I think Carolyn and I couldn’t get on the same page — she didn’t know she was my people! It’s kind of my fault that she didn’t; I have the introspection to be able to see that internally and through her eyes, where a lot of players can’t. But I was never going to turn on Carolyn. My people are my people and I will go to bat for them, until I can’t anymore.

So who do you want to win it all? A Traitor or a Faithful?Both! I’m rooting for Dylan and even though we didn’t work together, I’m rooting for Carolyn.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The Traitorsis streaming on Peacock, with new episodes dropping Thursday evenings.

source: people.com