He couldn’t have handled it with more class.
Since being demoted to the Tennessee Titans’ backup quarterback after Week 6’s loss to the Denver Broncos, Marcus Mariota has done everything from imitating the opposing quarterback to being a source of support on the sidelines to running certain packages for the team on offense in his new role.
It’s obviously the end of the season for the Titans after a 35-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, but it could also very well mark the final game of Mariota’s career in Tennessee.
Regardless of how things play out, the signal-caller is grateful for his time with the team who drafted him at No. 2 overall in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
“It was a gift,” Mariota told reporters after the game. “It’s been a true pleasure. The organization took a chance on me, and I felt like I had given them everything I got. Obviously, we are not sure what’s going to happen, but I know when it’s all said and done, I gave this organization everything I could.”
After the game, Mariota spent time in the locker room addressing each of his teammates.
“Marcus Mariota is walking up to every player in the Titans’ locker room, one after another, now working through the defensive guys, to shake hands and hug them,” ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported. “A quiet, quick message for each one. Always classy.”
Mariota completed 59.4% of his passes for 1,203 passing yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions over seven games on the 2019 regular season, also posting 129 rushing yards on 24 carries in the same time span.
In his time in Tennessee, he saw action in 63 games, starting 61 of those. He passed for 76 touchdowns and 44 interceptions, using his mobility to account for 11 rushing scores as well.
There’s no telling what the future holds for Mariota’s career at this point.
But if anything is for certain, it is that he has the utmost respect from the fan base, his teammates and the Tennessee Titans organization.
