Philadelphia Eagles’ Marcus
Mariota warms up before a preseason NFL football game, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
TheWashington Commanders still have no idea what they’re going to do with the No. 2 overall pick, and newly-signed veteran Marcus Mariota certainly doesn’t know, either.
So, he’s bracing for just about anything as he prepares for his ninth season and fifth team.
“If I’m called upon to be ready to play, I’m very confident in that,” Mariota said after he officially signed his contract. “And I’m also very confident in my role as a mentor.”
Mariota, a former No. 2 overall pick himself, wasn’t beguiled about the situation he was walking into when he signed with Washington. He knows that the Commanders are likely to take one of the top quarterbacks in the draft, which would mean that he’ll be the primary backup like he was with the Eagles in 2023. There’s also a chance, however small, that he sees some action this season, whether that’s through injury to the starter or possibly even winning the job outright in training camp.
No matter what his role ends up being with the Burgundy & Gold, he feels that he’s suited for both.
“Whatever this staff, whatever this team needs of me, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability and just ultimately win games here,” Mariota said.
While Mariota has been a starter for most of his career, the past four seasons have seen him primarily fill the role of backup for various teams. His action in Philadelphia was limited behind Jalen Hurts, appearing in just three games and completing 15-of-23 passes for 164 yards with a touchdown and interception. Prior to that, he was the Raiders’ backup from 2020-21, creating a few exciting moments in relief for Derek Carr.
Mariota has had a winding career for someone who was drafted by the Titans to help turn around their roster. Although he put up some of the best passing numbers in franchise history, a mixture of injuries, including an ulnar nerve issue that lingered throughout the 2018 season, and performance to his time in Tennessee generating mixed reactions. He was later benched in favor of Ryan Tannehill, who took the Titans to the AFC Championship.
The same could be said of his season in Atlanta, where he reunited with former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, who was also the Titans’ offensive coordinator from 2019-20. A decent start to the 2022 campaign, during which Mariota accounted for 13 total touchdowns compared to six interceptions and led the Falcons to a 4-4 record, was followed by a 1-4 stretch in Weeks 9-13, which led to him being replaced by Desmond Ridder for the rest of the season.
