Marcus Mariota Reveals Why He Chose to Sign With the Atlanta Falcons

The Heisman trophy winner will lace up in the black and red for the 2022 season.

Marcus Mariota has had an up-and-down career in the NFL. After being drafted second overall by the Titans in the 2015 NFL Draft, he had numerous offensive coordinators and head coaches come in and out of Nashville. 

Fastforward to 2020, and he was backing up Derek Carr on the Raiders, seeing very limited playing time. But now, what many are calling the craziest offseason in NFL history could be what gives him the opportunity he's been looking for. The chance to be a starting quarterback at the game's highest level. 

Earlier this week, Matt Ryan was traded to the Indianapolis Colts for a third-round pick, and the Atlanta Falcons moved swiftly to find another quarterback, signing Mariota to a two-year deal. 

The former Oregon quarterback met with the Atlanta media for the first time on Friday, and revealed why he felt the Falcons were the team for him.

"It really came down to the opportunity. He (HC Arthur Smith) said there's a chance for you to play, a chance for you to start right away," Mariota said. "Really for me at this point in time in my career, that's what I was looking for."

Mariota joins a quarterback room that now only features Feleipe Franks, a situation that certainly points to him winning the job. However, he was quick to acknowledge that he won't be handed the job, and that he aims to help the team in any way he can.

"No matter what the situation is, I gotta do my best to lead these guys and help these guys become the best of their abilities," he said. "That doesn't necessarily mean that I'm the starter.

"I could very well be the backup and do those types of things. And that's what I've learned."

After bouncing around a couple teams in the past few seasons, Mariota shed some light on why he's confident Atlanta is the right fit, and more importantly why he thinks he can be successful this time around with Smith.

"I think this is a great opportunity for me to kind of showcase what I've learned over the course of the last couple of years, being around guys like Ryan Tannehill and Derek Carr, guys that have played at a high level."

Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota in Warmups

© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The familiarity with the new head coach of the Falcons should bode well.

"With Art, I think we've developed a relationship where we can communicate, where we can get things off our chest, we can put forth what we think is best for the offense," Mariota said. "He's always gonna be honest with me, and if there's things that I need to improve on he's gonna work on it with me. That's why I think and believe in this situation, and I'm excited for this opportunity."

The Falcons don't have the best roster for a new quarterback, but weapons like tight end Kyle Pitts and running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson figure to play an instrumental role in his first season in the NFC South. 

Mariota also announced that he'll be wearing number one next season, going back to the number he wore on his first Pop Warner team the Kalani Falcons in a "funny full-circle moment." He also added that rookie Kyle Pitts had a strong rookie season and he's welcome to the number.

"Kyle has done unbelievable things already in one year. By all means it's his."

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