Falcons QB Marcus Mariota Excited For Reunion With Coach Arthur Smith
In this story:
Before the Atlanta Falcons hired Arthur Smith as head coach in 2021, he spent nine years with the Tennessee Titans.
Smith held several coaching positions within the organization. But the pinnacle of his tenure with the Titans came in 2019 when Smith served as the team's offensive coordinator.
Tennessee was the place where Smith began a relationship with quarterback Marcus Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick in 2015. And for Mariota, Smith was always someone he could rely upon during his five-year stint with the organization.
The Falcons reunited Mariota and Smith after two seasons apart. Atlanta signed Mariota to a two-year contract this offseason, and he credited the trust in Smith as one of the main reasons he joined the Falcons as a free agent.
"He is always honest," Mariota said during his introductory press conference Friday afternoon. "For me as a player, I truly appreciate that. He's always focused on making sure I can get better. In the pocket to how am I digesting the offense, he always made it a point to find little areas of improvement.
"Art has always been there for me. That's why I am excited to be here. I believe in Art. And I believe in what he is doing."
Mariota felt his relationship with Smith was most important during a turbulent campaign in 2019. Injuries and consistent turnover within the front office hindered his on-field play.
Mariota started six games for the Titans before head coach Mike Vrabel replaced him in favor of Ryan Tannehill. Even then, Smith's voice of reason kept Mariota in good faith during his final days in Tennessee.
Mariota spent the previous two seasons playing behind three-time Pro-Bowl quarterback Derek Carr with the Las Vegas Raiders. But Mariota continued to keep track of Smith. He admired his former coach from afar and was intrigued by the culture Smith had established in his first season as head coach in Atlanta.
"I love what he has been doing here," Mariota said. "He's created opportunities for different guys by putting them in favorable match-ups. And I think for a quarterback, that's very friendly to be able to do that. Over the last two years, Art and I have grown. And that has created a foundation that we can work off."
In 63 career games, Mariota threw for 13,207 yards and 76 touchdowns while completing 62.9 percent of his pass attempts with the Titans.
Mariota went 2-4 during his final season starting for the Titans. He threw for 1,203 yards while completing 59.4 percent of his pass attempts for seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
Now, in Atlanta, he'll look to reverse those fortunes.
