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. He played college football for the University of Oregon and won the 2014 Heisman Trophy, becoming the first player from Oregon and the first Hawaii-born athlete to receive the award. Mariota was selected second overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2015 NFL Draft and has since spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, and Philadelphia Eagles before joining Washington.
Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 222 pounds, Mariota is recognized as a dual-threat quarterback who can make plays with both his arm and his legs. Over the course of his NFL career, he has recorded more than 17,000 passing yards, 107 passing touchdowns, and 19 rushing touchdowns. In 2016, the University of Oregon honored him by naming its 30,000 square-foot Marcus Mariota Sports Performance Center.
Early Life and Background
Marcus Ardel Taulauniu Mariota was born on October 30, 1993, in Honolulu, Hawaii, 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 Jeremiah Masoli, a fellow Samoan and Saint Louis School standout who later played at Oregon. Mariota is a dedicated Christian, and he 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, he was relatively unknown until late in his high school career, having not started a varsity game 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, he led Saint Louis to an 11-1 record and the Hawaii Division I state title, completing 165 of 225 passes for 2,597 yards with 32 touchdowns and only five interceptions while rushing for 455 yards and seven scores. He was named the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Offensive Player of the Year.
Mariota was also a standout sprinter and jumper for the Saint Louis track and field team. At the 2010 National Underclassman Combine, he won the Fastest Man and Combine King awards after running a 4.48-second 40-yard dash. He placed fourth in both the 200-meter dash and long jump at the 2011 HHSAA T&F Championships, and he helped the Saint Louis 4×100 meter relay team win a state title.
Path to American Football
Mariota attended an Oregon football camp in the summer of 2010, where Oregon offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich became one of the first major recruiters to discover him. After watching Mariota practice in Hawaii, Helfrich called head coach Chip Kelly, and the two decided to immediately offer him a scholarship despite his lack of varsity starts. Oregon had originally hoped to land 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, but after Manziel reneged on his commitment, the Ducks turned their full attention to Mariota.
After his senior season, Mariota was rated the number two recruiting prospect in Hawaii and a top-15 dual-threat quarterback nationally by Rivals.com. He received scholarship offers only from Oregon and Memphis, choosing to play for the Ducks in the Pac-12 Conference. He arrived in Eugene in 2011 and redshirted his first year before taking over as the starting quarterback in 2012.
Marcus Mariota Career
Early Career (2012-2013)
As a redshirt freshman in 2012, Mariota became the first Oregon freshman to start a season opener in 22 years. He led the Ducks to a 12-1 record and a number two final ranking, completing 230 of 336 passes for 2,677 yards with 32 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He also rushed 106 times for 752 yards and five touchdowns, and he earned Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP honors after a 35-17 victory over Kansas State.
In his sophomore year, Mariota led Oregon to an 11-2 record and a top 10 ranking. He set a Pac-12 record by attempting 353 consecutive passes without an interception and finished with 3,665 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and four interceptions. He guided Oregon to a 30-7 win over Texas in the 2013 Alamo Bowl, rushing for 133 yards and earning Offensive MVP honors, and he became the only Oregon player to eclipse 4,000 yards of total offense in a single season.
Tennessee Titans Era (2015-2019)
Mariota was selected second overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2015 NFL Draft behind Jameis Winston. In his first career start against Tampa Bay, he threw four touchdowns and posted a perfect 158.3 passer rating, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to record a perfect rating in his debut. He finished his rookie year with 2,818 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 12 games.
In 2016, Mariota set career highs with 3,426 passing yards and 26 touchdowns, leading the Titans to a 9-7 record and earning a top-50 ranking on the NFL Top 100 Players list. The following season, he guided Tennessee to its first playoff appearance since 2008, completing a Wild Card comeback against Kansas City and helping the team to a 22-21 upset win on the road. Mariota’s tenure in Tennessee ended after the 2019 season when the Titans signed Ryan Tannehill to a long-term extension.
Las Vegas Raiders and Atlanta Falcons (2020-2022)
Mariota signed a two-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020 to serve as Derek Carr’s backup. He made his Raiders debut in Week 15 of the 2020 season after Carr left with a groin injury, throwing for 226 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 88 yards and another score. In 2021, he was used primarily as a gadget quarterback before being released.
In March 2022, Mariota signed a two-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons and was named the starting quarterback in July. He appeared in 13 games, throwing for 2,219 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions while rushing for a career-high 438 yards and four touchdowns. He was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury in December and was released in February 2023.
Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders Era (2023-Present)
Mariota joined the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2023 as a backup to Jalen Hurts and appeared in three games during the regular season. In March 2024, he signed with the Washington Commanders, where he initially wore jersey number 0, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to do so, before switching to number 18 after training camp. He was placed on injured reserve in September 2024 and was activated in October, eventually stepping in for an injured Jayden Daniels during the season.
Mariota re-signed with Washington in March 2025 and has served as the starter after Daniels was ruled out for the remainder of the season. He led the team to a 41-24 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3 of 2025, completing 15 of 21 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown. In 2026, Mariota re-signed with the Commanders on a one-year, $7 million contract that can reach $11 million with incentives.
Driving Style and Strengths
Mariota is regarded as a balanced dual-threat quarterback who can attack all areas of the field through the air while remaining a consistent rushing threat. He has built a reputation for efficient short and intermediate accuracy, evidenced by his career completion percentage above 62 percent. His mobility makes him particularly effective on designed quarterback runs and bootlegs, and he has been praised for his leadership in the locker room and his willingness to mentor younger quarterbacks on the roster.
Notable Events and Milestones
Mariota holds the distinction of being the only Oregon Duck and the first Hawaii-born athlete to win the Heisman Trophy, capturing 788 of 891 first-place votes in 2014. He became the first quarterback in NFL history to post a perfect 158.3 passer rating in his debut, and he shares the NFL record for most touchdown passes in a player’s first three games with eight. He is also the only NFL player since Walter Payton in 1983 to pass for a touchdown, rush for a touchdown, and catch a touchdown pass of at least 40 yards in the same season.
Marcus Mariota Career Wins
Over the course of his NFL career, Marcus Mariota has earned victories as a starting quarterback with the Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, and Washington Commanders, and he has added key wins as a relief quarterback in Las Vegas and Washington. His 2016 season in Tennessee stands out as his most productive, with 26 passing touchdowns and a 9-7 team record. In 2025, Mariota has started multiple games for the Commanders, including a 41-24 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Tennessee Titans Highlights
Mariota’s most memorable Titans victory came in the 2017 AFC Wild Card game against the Kansas City Chiefs, when he caught his own batted pass for a touchdown and led a 22-21 comeback from a 21-3 halftime deficit. In the 2018 season, he led Tennessee to a 34-10 home win over the New England Patriots, the franchise’s first victory over New England since 2002, and he earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after a 26-23 overtime win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Atlanta Falcons Highlights
Mariota’s signature Falcons win came in Week 6 of 2022, when he completed 13 of 14 passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 50 yards and a touchdown in a 28-14 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the performance, and he also led Atlanta to a 37-34 overtime win over the Carolina Panthers later in the season.
Washington Commanders Highlights
In his first full extended action with Washington, Mariota completed 18 of 23 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-7 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 7 of 2024 after Jayden Daniels left with a rib injury. He also guided the Commanders to a 23-19 comeback win at Dallas in the 2024 regular-season finale and to a 41-24 home victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3 of 2025.
Marcus Mariota Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Marcus Mariota is the son of Toa Mariota and Alana Deppe-Mariota. He is of Samoan descent on his father’s side and German descent on his mother’s side. His younger brother, Matt Mariota, played football at the University of Oregon, primarily on special teams. The Mariotas have been known for their close family support, and his parents sold their home overlooking Diamond Head in part to finance football camps that helped him gain national exposure.
Personal Life
Marcus Mariota married Kiyomi Cook in 2021, and the couple welcomed their first child, a son named Makaia, in 2022. Mariota is a dedicated Christian and has been involved in charitable work, including the Motiv8 Foundation, which he and his wife operate to provide sports and healthy lifestyle programming for children. In 2022, he was one of three quarterbacks documented for the Netflix and NFL Films series Quarterback, alongside Patrick Mahomes and Kirk Cousins.
2025 Season Performance
Marcus Mariota entered the 2025 season as the third-string quarterback behind starter Jayden Daniels and backup Jeff Driskel. After Daniels was sidelined by injury, Mariota was elevated to the starter role and delivered a 41-24 home win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3, completing 15 of 21 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown. He has remained a steady veteran presence in the locker room and on the field as the Commanders push for postseason play.
Mariota started in Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs, completing 21 of 30 passes for 213 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions in a 28-7 road loss. Following the injury ruling out Daniels for the remainder of the season after Week 14, Mariota was confirmed as the team’s starting quarterback for the final stretch of the year. He re-signed with the Commanders on a one-year, $8 million contract in March 2025 to continue with the organization.
Looking ahead, Mariota is signed through 2025 and provides the Commanders with an experienced bridge at the quarterback position. His dual-threat ability and familiarity with the offensive system should help Washington remain competitive in the NFC playoff race. With a career passing touchdown-to-interception ratio that has trended positively in recent seasons, Mariota’s blend of poise and playmaking gives the Commanders a reliable option should they need to rely on him down the stretch.
