How Washington Commanders Backup Marcus Mariota Can Help Rookie QB

Regardless of which quarterback the Washington Commanders select in the 2024 NFL Draft, he'll enter with a strong mentor in backup Marcus Mariota.

Aug 17, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Marcus Mariota (8). / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Commanders are less than two weeks away from adding their prospective franchise quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

There are several important parties in the success of whoever - North Carolina's Drake Maye and LSU's Jayden Daniels are the favorites - Washington selects.

Of course, it starts with the player and his mental makeup. Then, there's coaching, from head coach Dan Quinn to offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and beyond.

Throw in the surrounding environment - receivers, offensive line, defense and scheme - and the various factors that ultimately culminate in successful quarterback play come together.

But perhaps the most underrated aspect of this path is the backup quarterback, who can serve as a mentor and sounding board with a more interpersonal level than a coach may provide.

For the Commanders, that means weight falls on the shoulders of Marcus Mariota, who was the No. 2 overall pick in 2015 but has spent much of the past four years as a backup.

Aug 17, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Marcus Mariota (8). / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Mariota has experience in a similar role. In 2022, he was the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback for the first 13 games before being benched in favor of Desmond Ridder, a third-round rookie.

Atlanta, holding a 5-8 record with four losses in its previous five games, wanted to see what Ridder could do, and Mariota had eclipsed 200 passing yards just once in his last 10 outings. Mariota, who was benched the day after the birth of his child, decided to get a "chronic" knee injury fixed and ultimately departed the team before Ridder made his first start.

In the aftermath, Mariota was construed as having quit on the team. Both he and then-Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said Mariota gave his all while starting, and Mariota said the two sides agreed having his knee cleaned up was the best approach for each party.

Smith said he and Mariota left on good terms - and from Ridder's perspective, Mariota served as a wealth of information throughout the 2022 season.

"How to go about your daily business is obviously one of the most important things that he's taught me," Ridder said Dec. 2022. "As far as routine, putting together a schedule, how he goes about learning the offense. It's all helped me prepare to be where I'm at today."

Smith officially made the change on Thursday of Atlanta's bye week, and while Mariota wasn't in the building when players returned the following Monday, he made sure Ridder knew he was still in his corner.

"He just told me, 'Best of luck,' that he's going to be there for me if I needed anything, and never be afraid to reach out," Ridder said before his first start.

This proved true - and Mariota succinctly reached out to Ridder with advice after his debut, during which the former University of Cincinnati went just 13 of 26 for 97 yards.

"Keep slinging it," Mariota texted Ridder.

Around Atlanta's facilities, Mariota was viewed as a quality teammate and even better leader - Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier even noted his value to Ridder when speaking during OTAs last offseason.

And so, as the Commanders look to enter a new era under center, Mariota's value is apparent. He has a unique perspective as a former top pick with a city's expectations on his right arm, yet also extensive experience teaching young passers.

Commanders general manager Adam Peters believes there's nothing harder in professional sports than evaluating and developing quarterbacks. The biggest key to success, he says, is allowing time to develop.

And with a trio of signal callers spearheaded by Mariota, Peters believes Washington has built a strong ecosystem fit to groom the organization's future under center.

"With the guys we have in the room right now, I don't think we have to rush anybody," Peters said.