Eagles' Marcus Mariota Details Career Journey in 'Quarterback'
Netflix premiered an exciting eight-episode series titled "Quarterback" on Wednesday, offering viewers never-before-seen 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 Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Marcus Mariota.
In the first episode, Mariota opened up about his football journey, one that led him from the Atlanta Falcons last season to the Eagles this offseason.
To unveil his journey to Atlanta, Mariota had to begin by reflecting on his time with the Tennessee Titans, who selected him No. 2 overall in 2015 after a Heisman-winning college career with the Oregon Ducks. He candidly discussed the period during the 2019 season when quarterback Ryan Tannehill replaced him and how it ignited feelings of self doubt within himself.
"You know, I was going through a little bit of confidence issues," Mariota said. "I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep playing the position, playing football in general."
But after that season, Mariota persisted in his football career by signing a two-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. It was during this time that he rediscovered his passion for the game.
Following the conclusion of the 2021 campaign, Mariota entered free agency. With a longstanding relationship with Falcons coach Arthur Smith, the opportunity to start was too enticing for Mariota to ignore.
"It came down to the fact my relationship with Art was one of importance," Mariota said. "And it was just a really cool opportunity to be part of a team again, and get a chance to start."
Although things didn't pan out for Mariota in Atlanta, he will now have the opportunity to back up Jalen Hurts this season. If Hurts sustains an injury, Mariota aims to demonstrate that he can still perform at a high level.
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