Marcus Mariota Is Exactly What the Raiders Needed

Quarterback Marcus Mariota, no matter what his competitive instincts are telling him, has been saying since he signed as a free agent with the Las Vegas Raiders in March that he knows his place on the team.

The 6-4, 215-pound Mariota claims he is content being the back up to Derek Carr.

“First and foremost, this is Derek’s team, and I understand that,” Mariota, who started for the Tennessee Titans in his first five seasons before being replaced by Ryan Tannehill after a 2-4 start last season, told KHON2 television in his native Hawaii. “I understand that going in. My priority was to be part of a team I felt could bring out the best in me. Whatever happens, whatever comes of that, I’m ready for.

“I do know how to play starting quarterback in the NFL, to be in that spot is not an easy thing to do. When it comes down to it, a strong, stable quarterback room makes that job a whole lot easier and that’s what we have to do. I’m going to do my best to support Derek in every way I possibly can, try and be the best player I can be and see where that takes me.”

From the outside looking in, it appears the Raiders support Carr in the locker room and the front office, but some in Raider Nation are growing impatient after the quarterback out of Fresno State has led the Silver and Black to the playoffs only once in his six seasons.

That’s why it’s interesting that Mariota’s two-year, $17.6-million contract includes more cash if he takes meaningful snaps. His playing time would increase his salary by a possible $10 million in 2021, with $2 million in playoff/Super Bowl incentives each year.

Obviously, that would mean either taking over as the starter or have Carr be knocked out by an injury.

And the Raiders really haven’t had a backup quarterback this good for quite some time.

While the Raiders are longshots for the Super Bowl, longtime fans of the Silver and Black remember that Jim Plunkett twice came off the bench in the middle of seasons and led them to Super Bowl victories.

In 1980, Plunkett replaced injured Dan Pastorini and led the Raiders on a 13-2 run, including four post-season victories, that ended in a 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV.

Three years later, Plunkett took over for injured Marc Wilson during the season and again led the Raiders to the Promised Land, as they trounced the Washington Redskins, 38-9, in Super Bowl XVIII.

So it always pays to have a talented quarterback waiting, probably impatiently, on the sideline for his time to shine.

It wasn’t at dramatic, but on their way to winning Super Bowl XI over the Minnesota Vikings, 32-14, at the end of the 1967 season, Mike Rae stepped in when Kenny Stabler was knocked out for one game by a knee injury and threw two touchdown passes to Cliff Branch in a 14-13 victory over the Houston Oilers.

By contrast, in 2016 under Coach Jack Del Rio, Carr led the Raiders to a 12-3 record before sustaining a knee inury. The Silver and Black needed to beat the Denver Broncos in the regular-season finale to win the AFC West and earn a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Instead, the Broncos trounced the Raiders, 24-6, and the Houston Texans beat the Silver and Black, 27-14, in the AFC wild-card game as backup quarterbacks Connor Cook and Matt McGloin simply weren’t good enough to get the job done.

Mariota certainly isn’t thinking that far ahead.

“For me, it’s almost been 10 years since I’ve played at home (in Hawaii), in front of friends and family,” said Mariota, who was rated the No. 1 quarterback in the 2015 draft by General Manager Mike Mayock of the Raiders. “I think for me, (Las Vegas) is as close as it gets. I’m just so thrilled to have this opportunity, to be able to share in the moment, and I can’t wait. I truly just can’t wait.”

Even if he’s watching at the start.

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