Falcons WATCH: Marcus Mariota's Perspective on Atlanta Exit

Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota opened up about his late-season departure from the team.

It's been just about six months since Marcus Mariota mysteriously left the Atlanta Falcons.

The veteran quarterback wasn't cut until the offseason, but Mariota left the team when he was demoted to backup status in favor of Desmond Ridder.

On Wednesday, Netflix premiered an exciting eight-episode series titled "Quarterback," offering viewers unprecedented access to the lives of three NFL signal callers.

The series features behind-the-scenes footage of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, and Mariota.

During the series, Mariota got a chance to set the record straight on what happened during his late-season departure from the team.

While rumors had started circulating that Mariota had quit the team after being replaced by Ridder, the veteran quarterback revealed that he had welcomed a newborn daughter around the same time as his benching.

"So, ultimately, it's a long story, really," Mariota said. "So, during the bye week, my daughter was born, Makaia. When she was born, Art brought me in… the following day. It was, like, talking about the future and kind of what he wanted to do, and they told me that they were going to play Des for the last four games."

However, during his absence, Mariota also chose to undergo surgery for a chronic knee injury. Coach Arthur Smith claims that this was not something he and Mariota had talked about when discussing his benching. 

"When he and I had that conversation, that's not what we talked about," Smith said. "Those are private conversations, but it was more about where we were as a team, and as a player, and what the future might hold."

Contrary to the perception that he was quitting on his team, Mariota asserted that he was making a decision he believed was in the best interests of all parties involved

"I don't know why it had to be that narrative," Mariota said. "I gave everything I had for this team. I thought I was making a good decision for everybody. … Ultimately, we decided that getting my knee fixed was in the best interest. I came home, got my knee fixed and [have] been in Vegas."

As the series unfolded, it became evident that Smith doesn't resent Mariota for his departure from the Falcons, as he understands that football players have lives outside of the facility

"I love Marcus; thankful that I got to spend more time with him," Smith said. "People look at them, and they think they're robots. They wear a helmet, that they're these modern-day gladiators, but there's life outside this building. He gave us everything he had."

Despite things not working out for Mariota in Atlanta, he has found a new opportunity as the backup for Jalen Hurts on the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. With this chance, Mariota aims to showcase his ability to perform at a high level if Hurts were to sustain an injury.

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