What’s going on between quarterback Marcus Mariota and the Atlanta Falcons and how long will he be out?
Though we can lay to rest the speculation what exactly is going on with the QB, his future with the franchise is definitely still in question.
Following an awkward moment for the franchise, after the quarterback walked away from the team with no indication as to when he would return, he’s officially been placed on injured reserve and will undergo surgery. Clearly, there are questions that need answering.
Falcons’ Marcus Mariota set for surgery and will miss rest of season
If you’ve seen our earlier story about the Falcons quarterback, you will know that on Monday the team took the decision to bench Marcus Mariota. What followed was an uncomfortable situation which saw Mariota walk away from the team, head coach Arthur Smith offer up a not so clear take on the situation, while also indicating that Mariota was not present because his wife was giving birth and now, here we are. What reports have confirmed, is that Mariota will undergo knee surgery and be placed on Injured Reserve. What that means is that he will miss the remainder of the 2022-23 NFL campaign.
Interestingly, the news was delivered by Smith who had previously indicated that Mariota’s knee injury, did not contribute to the decision to sit the quarterback for rookie Desmond Ridder, also saying it was a “performance-based” choice. At that point, Marioata seemingly chose to seek independent consultation about his knee and as things stand, is now set for surgery in December.
Marcus Mariota and the Falcons don’t seem to be OK
There is one thing that seems to be clear, about what has unfolded between Mariota and the Falcons and that’s the idea that nothing is clear. Let’s consider Smith’s ‘subtle’ critique of the timing of Mariota’s choice to leave the team. At the time, the Falcons coach indicated that Mariota’s knee “is nothing that has been an issue this season, but that’s [his] prerogative.” Smith then went on to speak about team unity saying, “Of course, you want all your guys to be here, but guys have to make decisions.”
One thing that’s worth mentioning is that this isn’t the first time Smith has taken the decision to bench Mariota. The first time, was back in 2019, when Smith benched Mariota for Ryan Tannehill. Smith, who was offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans at the time, saw his decision pay off with Tannehill going 7-3 during his time and even going on to clinch a playoff spot. To punctuate the point, the Titans went all the way to the AFC Championship game, where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
What does the future hold for Marcus Mariota and the Falcons?
As we mentioned before, Marioata’s season is now over. Is that also the case for his time with the Falcons? There’s been no official word on that, but we’ve got to consider that the QB is still under contract for another year. If there is a silver lining for the franchise, it’s that Mariota’s cap hit isn’t massive which means it’s a toss-up between two options: either he gets cut, or he’s retained and has to compete against Ridder for a starting spot.
From the point of view of the man himself, it’s been an up and down career for the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. With just one 20+ touchdown season under his belt, it would be fair to say he’s not lived up to his potential, but there have most definitely been glimpses of it. At this point in his career, he’s on his fourth team, has served largely as a backup and has lost his starting spot twice in four years. Where this season is concerned, Mariota has completed 61.3% of his passes for 15 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, while also rushing for 438 yards and 4 scores. This is all to say, that despite his not-so-stellar time in the league, his most recent campaign has come to an end on the back of some decent stats. Surely, that can’t be overlooked.