Falcons Ex Marcus Mariota Opens Up About Football Journey in 'Quarterback'
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 former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota.
In the first episode, Mariota opened up about his football journey that led him to the team
To unveil his journey to Atlanta, Mariota had to begin by reflecting on his time with the Tennessee Titans. He candidly discussed the period during the 2019 season when quarterback Ryan Tannehill replaced him and how it ignited feelings of self-doubt within him.
"You know, I was going through a little bit of confidence issues. I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep playing the position, playing football in general," Mariota said.
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.
"A couple seasons in Las Vegas, I was the backup to Derek Carr. It was a good reset in my career and allowed me to get healthy. And I found the love, again, of the game," Mariota said.
Following the conclusion of the 2021 season, 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 has landed as Jalen Hurts' backup on the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. With this new opportunity, Mariota aims to demonstrate that he can still perform at a high level if Hurts sustains an injury.
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