Marcus Mariota Bio
Marcus Ardel Taulauniu Mariota (born October 30, 1993) is an American professional football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks. In 2014, Mariota became the first player at the school and the first Hawaii-born athlete to win the Heisman Trophy. Mariota was selected second overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2015 NFL draft and led the team to three consecutive winning seasons from 2016 to 2018. He was replaced as starting quarterback by Ryan Tannehill after six games in the 2019 season. In 2020, Mariota signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he was a backup for two seasons before signing with the Atlanta Falcons in 2022, where he started for most of the season. Mariota spent the 2023 season as a backup for the Philadelphia Eagles before joining the Commanders in 2024.
Early Life and Background
Marcus Mariota was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on October 30, 1993, to Alana Deppe-Mariota and Toa Mariota. He is of Samoan descent on his father’s side and German descent on his mother’s side. Mariota grew up admiring the quarterback play of fellow Samoan Jeremiah Masoli, who was also a standout quarterback at the Saint Louis School and the University of Oregon. He describes himself as a dedicated Christian. Mariota has a younger brother, Matt, who also played football at Oregon, primarily on special teams. Mariota attended the Saint Louis School in Honolulu, where he was a two-sport star in football and track. In football, Mariota was relatively unknown until late in his high school career due to not starting until his senior season. His parents sold their home overlooking Diamond Head in part to finance football camps that would gain him exposure. As a senior, Mariota helped lead St. Louis to an 11–1 record and the Hawaii Division I state title, while being named PrepStar Magazine All-West Region and Interscholastic League of Honolulu Offensive Player of the Year. He threw for 2,597 yards on 165-of-225 passing attempts (64.7%), including 32 touchdowns against only five interceptions. Mariota also rushed the ball 60 times for 455 yards (7.6 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns. He was named to the NUC All World Game alongside eventual 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.
Path to American Football
Mariota attended an Oregon football camp in the summer of 2010, which allowed Mark Helfrich, Oregon’s then offensive coordinator, to be one of the first recruiters to discover Mariota. After the camp, Helfrich visited Mariota in Hawaii to watch the somewhat unrecognized quarterback practice going into his senior season. Helfrich called Chip Kelly during the visit, and they made the decision to immediately offer Mariota a scholarship, despite never starting a varsity game. After his senior season, Mariota was rated the No. 2 recruiting prospect in the state of Hawaii and No. 12 dual-threat quarterback in the nation by Rivals.com. He was recruited by the Oregon Ducks, Hawaii, Memphis, Utah, Oregon State, Washington, Arizona, Notre Dame, UCLA, and USC but was only offered a scholarship by Memphis and Oregon. He got the offer from Oregon only after the Ducks’ first choice, Johnny Manziel, reneged on his scholarship and went to Texas A&M.
Marcus Mariota Career
Early Career (2015–2019)
Mariota was selected with the second overall pick in the first round by the Tennessee Titans in the 2015 NFL draft behind Jameis Winston. In May 2015, Mariota had the best-selling NFL jersey in the league, beating out Winston and Tom Brady. Mariota and the Titans agreed to a contract on July 21, 2015. He signed a four-year, $24,213,974 contract with a $15.9 million signing bonus. Mariota played in his first career regular-season game on September 13, 2015, against Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On his fourth career pass attempt, Mariota threw his first NFL touchdown on a 52-yard throw to wide receiver Kendall Wright. He finished the game with 209 yards and four touchdowns, achieving a perfect passer rating of 158.3, making him the first quarterback in NFL history to attain a perfect passer rating in his first career start. In Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, Mariota completed 21-of-37 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns. He set the record as the youngest quarterback since the franchise moved to Tennessee to throw for over 300 yards in a game. Mariota finished the 2015 season with 2,818 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Breakthrough (2016–2018)
In Week 10 of the 2016 season, Mariota threw for four touchdowns and 295 yards as the Titans beat the Green Bay Packers. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. Mariota finished the 2016 season with a career-high 3,426 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He was also ranked 50th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017 and was named a Pro Bowl first alternate. On September 10, 2017, against the Oakland Raiders, Mariota recorded a rushing touchdown in the season opener. He finished the regular season with 3,232 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. Making his first career postseason appearance, Mariota and the Titans went on the road to face the Kansas City Chiefs. In the Wild Card Round, Mariota became only the second player in NFL history to catch his own pass for a touchdown after it was batted back to him. The Titans narrowly won 22–21, for their first playoff win since the 2003 season.
Notable Works and Milestones
Mariota’s signature work includes his Heisman Trophy win in 2014, where he became the first Oregon Duck and Hawaii-born athlete to achieve this honor. He has also received several awards, including the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award in 2014, and was named the Polynesian Pro Football Player of the Year in 2016.
Marcus Mariota Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Marcus Mariota has received numerous nominations, including the prestigious Heisman Trophy and various college football awards during his time at Oregon.
Marcus Mariota Awards Won
Marcus Mariota has won several awards, including the Heisman Trophy in 2014, the Maxwell Award, and the Walter Camp Award, showcasing his exceptional talent and impact on the field.
Marcus Mariota Family
Marcus Mariota is married to Kiyomi Cook, and the couple welcomed their first child, a son named Makaia, in 2022.
Personal Life
Mariota is known for his philanthropic efforts, including the establishment of the Motiv8 foundation, which provides sports and healthy lifestyle programming to children. He was also featured in the Netflix and NFL Films series Quarterback, which debuted in July 2023.
