The impetus for the Tennessee Titans' late-season revival and postseason berth can be traced back to head coach Mike Vrabel making a change at quarterback—yanking out the fifth-year starter and former second-overall pick Marcus Mariota for veteran signal-caller Ryan Tannehill, acquired as the backup via trade just the previous season. Tannehill and the Titans upset powerhouses in the New England Patriots in the AFC Wild Card Round two weeks ago and last week against No. 1 Baltimore Ravens before succumbing to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the conference title game.
Now with the season over for the Titans, Mariota's, 26, future is in jeopardy. However, the former Heisman Trophy winner still believes he's a starting-caliber quarterback in the NFL.
“I have no doubts at all, no doubts at all,” Mariota said, via the team’s website. “I’m just hopeful and ready for whatever that next opportunity is.”
Mariota is a free agent during the 2020 offseason following his initial four-year rookie contract with the Titans, and fifth-year option picked up entering the 2019 campaign. With Tannehill seemingly firmly under center for the immediate future, Mariota could choose to sign elsewhere with another franchise. However, the question is whether the Oregon Ducks product will find a team that can confidently tell him he's their day one starter.
Mariota went 2-4 in six starts during the 2019 season. In seven games overall, he threw 95 completions for 1,203 yards, scoring seven touchdowns through the air. After completing 68.9% of his passes during the 2018 campaign, Mariota's completion rate dropped by 9.5 points this season.
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