Ducks Digest

Washington Commanders, Marcus Mariota, Jayden Daniels: NFL Free Agency Winners, Super Bowl Contenders

Quarterback Marcus Mariota is a beloved Oregon Duck who made the Washington Commanders and Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels massive NFL Free Agency winners. Mariota signed a one-year deal worth $8 million with Washington.

Bri Amaranthus

Sep 25, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota (1) walks to the locker room following a 27-23 victory against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Sep 25, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota (1) walks to the locker room following a 27-23 victory against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
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Quarterback Marcus Mariota is a beloved former Oregon Duck who made the Washington Commanders and Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels massive NFL Free Agency winners.

Despite interest from other NFL teams, Mariota signed a one-year deal worth $8 million with Washington, to continue his important role as backup to the uber-talanted Daniels.

East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (0) looks on during the first half against
Aug 10, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (0) looks on during the first half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Fresh off a run to the 2024-25 NFC Championship game, retaining Mariota makes the Commanders a continued threat in the NFL. Mariota's impact on Washington and Daniels cannot be overstated.

The Commanders are prioritizing Daniels' potential by bringing back Mariota to continue to mentor the young quarterback who took the NFC East by storm. Plus, Washington gets an excellent back up in Mariota, who completed 34 of 44 passes for 364 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in 2024. He added 18 carries for 92 rushing yards and one touchdown on the ground.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn raved about Mariota's importance in quarterback room after selecting Daniels out of LSU with the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

“In a perfect scenario, a young quarterback would have a leader to also learn from, but perfect rarely happens. But we do have that in Marcus Mariota. Him sharing nine years of gold with Jayden, I think, has been something that’s really cool for us to see. Rookie quarterbacks usually don’t get that, and we do," said Quinn.

That perfect scenario continues into 2025, making the Commanders major NFL Free Agency winners. Most NFL team could only dream of the mentor-mentee relationship occuring in the Washington quarterbacks room.

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (18) throws a pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter
Jan 5, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (18) throws a pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

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After signing his contract, Mariota addressed why he chose to return to Washington instead of moving on to a differenct team.

"The grass isn't always greener and being around this league for a long time, you understand that when you have a good thing and you have a great culture and you have a great room, that's not everywhere," Mariota said. "At the end of the day, something was going to have to really knock my socks off to leave this place, and I'm very happy and very blessed to be back and I'm excited to make another run with this team."

Washington's 2024 turn around under Quinn is admirable. A four-win team in 2023, Washington has a real chance to challenge in the NFC for a chance to make it to Super Bowl LX.

"When I took a step back and thought about it, and reflected, it was so important for me to be a part of this and to just enjoy my journey," Mariota continued. "I think there's been so many times in my career there's been a lot of ups, there's been a lot of downs, and I just wanted to just enjoy coming into work and what (head coach Dan Quinn) has built here is probably the best environment that I've ever been a part of and for me that's hard to leave."

Mariota is the Ducks' first Heisman Trophy winner ever and the first from the state of Hawai'i.

New York, NY, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota poses with the Heisman Trophy during a press conference at the Ne
Dec 13, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota poses with the Heisman Trophy during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis after winning the Heisman Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mariota (Saint Louis School, Honolulu) has inspired countless athletes from Hawaii, including former Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who is also from Hawaii and currently going through the NFL Draft process.

Gabriel received permission from Mariota to wear No. 8, and the two Ducks quarterbacks from Hawai'i have built a special relationship.

"I'm just happy to have that relationship. It is very special. Like I said, a lot of people they don't have to do any of this, but he's understanding of the role he plays and the leader he was, the trailblazer he was and is for Hawai'i athletes," said Gabriel of Mariota at the end of the 2024 football season. "So I appreciate that and don't take it lightly because he he doesn't have to do it. But he does it out of a kindness of his heart and knows that I'm just a guy chasing my dream as well."

“People say not to meet their heroes or whatever, but gosh, I met mine. I’m very appreciative of him because he’s the same guy that represents the right thing," said Gabriel earlier in the 2024 football season.

Mariota is having undeniable impact on multiple quarterbacks... and making his teams better in the process.

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Bri Amaranthus
BRI AMARANTHUS

Bri Amaranthus is an Emmy-winning sports reporter with over 12 years of experience in television, radio, podcasting, and digital sports journalism. She has been with Sports Illustrated for four years, providing breaking news, exclusive interviews, and analysis on the NFL, college sports, and the NBA. Prior to joining SI, Bri hosted NBC Sports Northwest's prime-time television show, where she also served as the Oregon beat reporter and created content covering both the NBA and college sports. Throughout her career, Bri has achieved significant milestones, including covering major events like the NBA Finals, NFL playoffs, College Football Playoff, NCAA Basketball Tournament, NFL Draft, and the NFL Combine. She earned a D1 scholarship to play softball at the University of San Diego and won two state softball titles in high school in Oregon. In addition to her Emmy win for NBC's All-Star Coach special, she has received multiple Emmy nominations, highlighting her dedication and talent in sports journalism.

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