Falcons QB Marcus Mariota ‘Didn’t Understand’ Benching for Desmond Ridder

Atlanta Falcons veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota was displeased with and confused by coach Arthur Smith's decision to bench him in favor of rookie third-round pick Desmond Ridder.

As the Atlanta Falcons (5-8) prepare for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints (4-9) at Caesar’s Superdome, they’ll be doing so without quarterback Marcus Mariota under center for the first time all season.

Mariota, an eight-year veteran, was benched during the bye week in favor of rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder, who will make his NFL debut in New Orleans.

It marked the second time Mariota's been benched, the other coming in 2019 with the Tennessee Titans, and also the end of his second chance at being a starter, something he acknowledged doesn't always happen.

Falcons coach Arthur Smith dubbed it a "performance-based decision," citing the need for increased production and the chance of a "spark" at quarterback. It was a fair analysis from Smith, as Mariota threw for over 200 yards just once over his final 10 starts ... but the former Heisman Trophy winner didn't agree, according to CBS Sports.

"A source says Mariota took the benching very hard, which isn't uncommon in the sport. He didn't understand why he was being benched, though the bye week was a natural time for the Falcons to make the switch from their struggling quarterback." - CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones

Mariota's final few days with the team were busy, starting Monday, when he and his wife welcomed their first child. Three days later, Mariota lost his starting job - but made sure to drop off some advice to Ridder before leaving the building.

The following day, Mariota's representation approached the Falcons regarding knee surgery for the 29-year-old. He has since been placed on injured reserve, ending his season and, almost certainly, time in Atlanta.

Mariota is set to undergo surgery in the coming days before attacking rehab and taking on dad duties, with Ridder and recently acquired Logan Woodside in line to handle quarterback responsibilities.

For the season, Mariota finished 184 of 300 (61.3 percent completion rate) for 2,219 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions while adding 85 rushes for 438 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

Mariota's completed at least 20 passes only twice all season, and the Falcons' passing offense ranks No. 31 league-wide in passing yards per game with 155.

But still, he didn't quite understand Smith's decision - and now it's up to Ridder to prove who the best choice truly was.

The Falcons, with Mariota not in the building, and Saints are scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m.

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You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

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