Marcus Mariota ‘Superpower’ Impressing Washington Commanders: Backup Quarterback or Starter?

Former Oregon Ducks' quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota has impressed Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn with a "superpower" that other quarterbacks do not have. Quinn is quick to point out that this separates Mariota from the pack as the team looks for a starting quarterback.

Aug 10, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (0) passes during the first quarter against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports

Last March former Oregon Ducks’ quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, Marcus Mariota, signed a one-year, $6 million dollar contract with the Washington Commanders. At the time, Washington coach Dan Quinn viewed Mariota as added experience to an untested quarterback room. The move seemed to make even more sense when the Commanders drafted former LSU quarterback and winner Jayden Daniels with the second pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

The team has been in training camp since the middle of July and in that brief time coach Quinn has realized he got more than he bargained for with the addition of Mariota. This former Ducks star has separated himself from the other quarterbacks on the roster with a “superpower” others are lacking.

“I thought really all the QBs are doing a nice job not just throwing the ball but playing the position, getting in and out of plays,” Quinn said. “Part of Marcus’ superpower is getting outside and being off rhythm. You’ll see different plays and different schemes as the quarterbacks play, so that will be one thing I keep an eye on moving forward.”

Aug 10, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn looks on during a replay review during the first quarter against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The obvious question is whether Jayden Daniels has locked up the starting role in Washington or could there be a quarterback controversy looming. If the former is true, look for Mariota to accept his role with a team-first attitude.

Aug 10, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) throws a pass during the first quarter against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports

 “Whatever this staff, whatever this team needs of me, I’m going to do it to the best of my abilities,” Mariota . 

Also consider the experience gained over the course of his career. The Tennessee Titans drafted him with the second pick of the 2015 NFL draft. He was the starter for the Titans from 2016 to 2018 in which he posted three winning seasons only to be replaced by Ryan Tannehill midway through the 2019 season. From there, Mariota was a backup for the Las Vegas Raiders for two years, starter in Atlanta for most of 2022 and spent last year with the Philadelphia Eagles as their backup.

If the starting job is still up for grabs, Mariota is all about the competition and the drive to improve.

"I think competition makes everybody better,” Mariota said. “Regardless of who is the starter day one, I checked my ego a long time ago, and I really believe that when you have a healthy quarterback room that's really just trying to compete and make each other better, you're going to eventually get everybody in that room to play at their best level. So regardless of who's a starter week one, I'm going to do everything I can to be the best version of myself and also bring out the best out of my teammates.”

While the pre-season games have started, there isn’t a great deal of information to consider with regard to a starting quarterback. The Commanders played four different quarterbacks in their first game, a 20-17 loss to the New York Jets, with the statistics mostly meaningless.

As training camp continues, look for Daniels and Mariota to get more reps with the first team as the battle for a starting job heats up. This competition could prove to be a “win-win” for Quinn and the Commanders with two game-ready quarterbacks. As any NFL fan will tell you, depth at this position is critical to the success of the team.

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