Titans' Zach Mettenberger says he will 'fight to the death' for starting QB job
Tennessee Titans quarterback Zach Mettenbergertold ESPN that the quarterback battle between him and newly-drafted Marcus Mariota will be a "fight to the death."
Although Mariota, as the second pick, is perceived as the quarterback of the future for Tennessee, Mettenberger said he plans to make the quarterback battle competitive.
"I don't [know] what the mind-set is, but at the end of the day I can just control what I do and I'm extremely confident in myself, almost to a fault," Mettenberger told ESPN. "But people who know me know I'm not going down without a fight to the death."
Tennessee coach Ken Whisenhunt told SI.com's Don Banks before the draft that if they were to select Mariota with the second pick, that he expected him to be the starter in Week 1. "If he comes to us at No. 2, if we pick him at No. 2, then you definitely think he’s going to be the Day 1 starter" Whisenhunt said.
Mettenberger told ESPN he learned the "business and politics of the game" as a rookie, but he plans to "earn the respect" he thinks he deserves.
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Last season, the Titans went 2-14. In seven games, Mettenberger threw for 1,412 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Mettenberger was drafted in the sixth round by the Titans in 2014.
- Erick Fernandez
