The release of Netflix's "Quarterback" series has raised a question among some fans: What happened to Marcus Mariota?
The eight-year NFL veteran made a stop in Atlanta in 2022, starting 13 games for a Falcons team that finished the season 7-10. (Mariota left the team after coach Arthur Smith named rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder the starter, 13 games into the season.) Following the season, Atlanta cut the former No. 2 draft pick, who then signed as a veteran backup to Jalen Hurts with the Eagles.
Mariota's stint in Atlanta followed an uneventful two years with the Raiders, in which he played a combined 11 games (starting none). Mariota ended up in Las Vegas after playing his rookie contract with the Titans; despite exercising his fifth-year option, Tennessee never gave a second contract to Mariota, who went 29-32 as a starter through five years (including three straight winning records from 2016-18).
His largely lackluster career in the NFL belies the fact he was, at one point, one of the most electric players in football — at the college level, at least. His 2014 Heisman Trophy campaign is the stuff of legends in Eugene, Ore., where he led the Ducks to a 13-2 record, Pac-12 championship and berth in the first College Football Playoff national championship.
MORE: How Marcus Mariota landed with Eagles after walking away from Falcons
Here's everything you need to know about Mariota's 2014 Heisman Trophy campaign, and how it catapulted him to a top draft pick in the NFL:
Marcus Mariota Heisman Trophy season
Mariota's 2014 Heisman campaign was a model not only of excellence, but consistency: He never completed less than 58 percent of his passes; never threw for fewer than two touchdowns; and threw only four interceptions the entire season (never more than one per game).
Indeed, Mariota nearly set the all-time NCAA record for the lowest interception rate until he threw his fourth and final pick of the season to Ohio State's Eli Apple in the CFP national championship game.
Here's a rundown of the stats he put up in 15 games in 2014:
Stats
Passing
| CMP/ATT | Pct. | Yards | TDs-INTs |
| 304/445 | 68.3 | 4,454 | 42-4 |
Rushing
| Attempts | Yards | YPA | TDs |
| 135 | 770 | 5.7 | 15 |
Receiving
| Receptions | Yards | TDs |
| 1 | 26 | 1 |
MORE: Why Marcus Mariota left Falcons after Desmond Ridder named starter
Awards
Apart from winning the Heisman Trophy, Mariota also earned several national, conference and positional player of the year awards in 2014. Below is a rundown of the awards and honors he accumulated in his 2014 campaign:
- Heisman Trophy
- Maxwell Award
Manning Award - Walter Camp Award
- Davey O'Brien Award
- Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
- AP College Football Player of the Year
- Sporting News Player of the Year
- Polynesian Football Player of the Year
- Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year
- Unanimous All-American
Highlights
It's hard to say exactly which game stood out the most in Mariota's Heisman Trophy season. One particular highlight was his shovel pass against Michigan State in the second game of the season, with the Ducks trailing 28-17 in the third quarter.
Then there's his game vs. rival Oregon State, against whom he threw a season-high 367 yards and four touchdowns (while adding two on the ground). Regardless, here are some of the moments that stood out most:
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Marcus Mariota 2015 NFL Draft
Mariota's season may have ended in disappointment, but it was regardless one of the most successful individual campaigns in college football history — and one he parlayed into being selected No. 2 overall in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Mariota went second to the Titans after Tampa Bay took Florida State quarterback (and 2013 Heisman Trophy winner) Jameis Winston at No. 1 overall. Curiously, Mariota vastly outplayed his Seminoles counterpart in his last college game and first NFL game as a rookie.
Oregon demolished Florida State 59-20 in the 2015 Rose Bowl, in which Mariota completed 26 of 36 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns to one interception. He also ran eight times for 62 yards and another score. Conversely, Winston completed 29 of 45 passes for 348 yards and one touchdown and one interception while also committing a fumble returned for a touchdown.
In the quarterbacks' next meeting, Mariota led the Titans to a 42-14 victory over Winston's Buccaneers in the 2015 season opener. Mariota completed 13 of 15 passes for 209 yards and four touchdowns in an efficient outing, while Winston completed 16 of 33 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns to two interceptions.
