Quarterback Marcus Mariota Injury Update: Sidelined Again But For How Long?

Former Oregon Ducks quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota sat out another preseason game due to an injured groin. The decision by Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn was more of a safety precaution to protect his backup signal caller. When will Mariota return?

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

Marcus Mariota, former Oregon Duck and Heisman Trophy winner, was sidelined for the last two preseason games due to a groin injury. Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn announced two weeks ago that Mariota would not play in a game against the Miami Dolphins. The decision was made to keep him out of action to prevent the possibility of further injury.

Mariota was also sidelined last Sunday as the Commanders faced New England in the preseason finale. While the rationale to prevent further injury still applies, it was unlikely that Mariota would play at all. Keep in mind that preseason games are designed more for the evaluation of newly drafted players as well as veterans looking to make an NFL roster.

Mariota is slated to be the backup to Jayden Daniels, Washington’s No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Given his rookie status, the Commanders want to be sure they have a game-ready, and fully healthy, quarterback should something happen to Daniels.

Mariota is expected to practice in full capacity this week as Washington prepares for its NFL regular season opener vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Aug 17, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs with the football against the Miami Dolphins during the first quarter of a preseason game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Coach Quinn has settled any quarterback debate there might have been by announcing that Daniels is the starting quarterback as Washington travels to Tampa Bay for a season opening game against the Buccaneers, with Mariota his backup. This is a role familiar to the Oregon star throughout his NFL career. Mariota was Tennessee’s first-round pick in 2015. In 2020, he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders before one-year stints with Atlanta and Philadelphia.

In his time in Washington, Mariota impressed Quinn with his leadership skills and interaction with his teammates.

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-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

I’ve gotten to know Marcus, coached against him for a lot,” said Quinn. “You don’t know when you coach against somebody you don’t know what the man’s like. He’s got an absolute presence about him; teammates are drawn to him. This quarterback room really has the makings of something very special.”

Quinn also noted Mariota’s ability to relate to fans and teammates alike.

“The connection that he has (with fans) away from the game and with his teammates is really strong, too.”

As an aside, behind the starter, Daniels, and the backup, Mariota, there are questions in the quarterback room. There are several players still fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster, including quarterbacks Sam Hartman, Jeff Driskel and Trace McSorley. Hartman is injured and did not play against New England. Accordingly, Driskel and McSorley had their final opportunity to impress the coaching staff.

Should the Washington brain trust want to consider all options for a backup signal caller, they may want to reach out to former Oregon Ducks’ star, Anthony Brown. He signed with Buffalo earlier in the week as an emergency replacement for the Bills in their game with Carolina. However, Brown ended up with considerable playing time as many first- and second-string players sat out this last pre-season game.

Aug 24, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Anthony Brown Jr. (5) throws a pass as Carolina Panthers defensive end Kenny Dyson Jr. (55) gives pressure in the fourth quarter pre-season game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Despite the limited prep time, Brown put up some very solid numbers. He was 11-of-12 passing for 102 yards and had a single rush for 13 yards. His overall quarterback rating was a respectable 102.1. However, the Bills elected to release Brown in favor of Ben DiNucci as their third-string play caller, behind Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky, who is dealing with a knee injury.

Brown's release means Ben DiNucci is still in consideration for third string quarterback spot. This is all conjecture, but the former Duck throwing for 100+ yards to new teammates is not easily ignored. Now, that may not be enough to get him on the roster in Buffalo, but he is certainly a candidate to land on the Bills’ practice squad or the practice squad for another team like Washington. We will get some answers to these questions shortly as the final cut down to 53 players is Tuesday afternoon with teams adding players to their practice squad from the waiver wire shortly thereafter.

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