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8 things to know about Falcons QB Marcus Mariota

Matt Urben
·4 min read

There’s been quite a bit to process in Atlanta over the last few weeks. From Calvin Ridley’s suspension, to Deshaun Watson rumors and now Matt Ryan being traded after 14 seasons, Falcons fans are in a state of shock to some degree.

But you can’t dwell for on things for long in the NFL, and shortly after Ryan’s trade was announced, the Falcons signed free-agent quarterback Marcus Mariota to a two-year deal worth a reported $18.75 million.

Mariota, 28, is an affordable option with enough upside to make things interesting this season at the very least. Atlanta hasn’t yet ruled out drafting a quarterback, but it seems very likely that we see Mariota finally get a chance to start again either way.

Here are eight things to know about the team’s new QB.

Played under Chip Kelly at Oregon

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Mariota became a star as a red-shirt freshman by mastering Chip Kelly’s fast-paced offensive scheme. The Ducks could burn you with the zone option, run five-wide looks and kill you with quick passes, or simply let Mariota cook.

Not to mention, Oregon’s weekly uniforms were must-see television, giving this offense some extra sizzle. With a ton of NFL buzz, Kelly would depart for the Eagles head-coaching vacancy back in 2013, replacing Andy Reid.

Mark Helfrich took over as the next head coach at Oregon and Mariota continued to thrive over the next two seasons.

Won Heisman Trophy in 2014

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Mariota capped off an incredible college career at Oregon by winning the Heisman Trophy in 2014. His consistent production not only impressed Heisman voters, but Mariota became one of the hottest names in the draft following his three-year run. Here’s a look at his year-by-year stats at Oregon.

  • 2012: 2,677 passing yards, 32 TD, 6 INT; 752 rushing yards, 5 rushing TD

  • 2013: 3,665 passing yards, 31 TD, 4 INT; 715 rushing yards, 9 rushing TD

  • 2014: 4,454 passing yards, 42 TD, 4 INT; 770 rushing yards, 15 rushing TD

Drafted 2nd overall by Titans, one spot behind Jameis Winston (Bucs)

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota were considered elite quarterback prospects entering the 2015 NFL draft, going first and second overall, respectably. Mariota ran a 4.52 40-yard dash and showed good accuracy in college. Some worried he was too much of a system quarterback, though. Here’s what ESPN’s Todd McShay said back in 2015.

“He is a difficult prospect to evaluate because he possesses many of the traits you see in a prototypical NFL quarterback prospect (namely his mental makeup, size, arm strength, pocket agility and durability) along with some rare abilities for the position (namely his straight-line speed and ability to throw on the run). But he also has some significant improving to do in the area that matters most for quarterbacks translating to the NFL level: the ability to consistently make throws from the pocket with great anticipatory accuracy.

He checks every box in terms of his character and intangibles, and the team that ends up drafting him might do so while banking on his high football intelligence and ability to improve at winning from the pocket as he transitions from Oregon’s uptempo spread attack to a more NFL-style offense.”

Mariota and Winston will continue their rivalry in 2022, as both are set to start for the NFC South.

Spent time with Arthur Smith in Tennessee

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Things ultimately didn’t work out for Mariota in Tennessee, but he did get to spend some time with current Falcons head coach Arthur Smith. Despite having his fifth-year option picked up, Mariota fell out of favor with the Titans. The former No. 2 pick never really grabbed hold of the starting job and the front office opted to trade for Ryan Tannehill from the Dolphins in 2019.

Mariota lost his job and was not re-signed by the Titans in 2020. He would go on to sign with the Raiders during the offseason on a two-year deal.

Mariota's NFL career was slowed by injuries

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Mariota was injured during his Titans career somewhat frequently. Per Sporting News’ Joe Rivera — who lays out a pretty good timeline of Mariota’s tenure in Tennessee — injuries were one of the things always holding back Mariota:

In 2018, he dealt with an elbow injury and a neck stinger that forced him to sit out two games. In 2017, he dealt with a hamstring injury that sidelined him for a game. In 2016, Mariota broke his fibula in Week 16 vs. the Jaguars. In 2015, he dealt with a sprain MCL in his right knee on two different occasions, with the second sprain ending his season prematurely.

Backed up Raiders QB Derek Carr for 2 years

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Carr doesn’t often get mentioned with the elite quarterbacks in the NFL, but he’s consistently been solid and he led the team to the playoffs in 2021, despite the Gruden disaster. Mariota played sparingly over the past two seasons, appearing in 11 games with zero starts.

Falcons HC Arthur Smith says he trusts Mariota

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Smith arguably made the right call at the time in Tennessee by going with Tannehill, but that doesn’t mean his relationship with Mariota was tarnished in the process. The NFL is a cutthroat business — see Matt Ryan — and both Smith and Mariota know this.

Smith said he trusts Mariota and believes the former No. 2 pick will come into Atlanta and give everything he’s got, and frankly, there’s no reason to think Smith is wrong.

Mariota is ready to prove himself

(AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

Nothing quite humbles you like being given up on by the franchise that drafted you. And while Mariota signed in Las Vegas knowing there was an established starter, he’s waited long enough to get another chance.

Considering Arthur Smith made things work with another former first-round pick who’d fallen out of favor in Ryan Tannehill, maybe he can do the same with Mariota.

WATCH: Mariota highlights vs. Patriots

Story originally appeared on Falcons Wire