Marcus Mariota

Marcus Ardel Taulauniu 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, where he became the first player at the school and the first Hawaii-born athlete to win the Heisman Trophy in 2014. Mariota was selected second overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2015 NFL draft and has since played for the Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, and Philadelphia Eagles before joining the Commanders in 2024.

Early Life and Background

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. Growing up in Hawaii, Mariota admired the quarterback play of fellow Samoan Jeremiah Masoli, who was a standout at the Saint Louis School and the University of Oregon. Mariota describes himself as a dedicated Christian and 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. He 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 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 with 32 touchdowns against only five interceptions. He also rushed for 455 yards and seven touchdowns.

Mariota was also a standout track athlete, qualifying for state in sprinting and jumping events. At the 2010 National Underclassman Combine, he won the camp’s “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 Championships.

Path to American Football

Mariota attended an Oregon football camp in the summer of 2010, where Mark Helfrich, then Oregon’s offensive coordinator, discovered him. After the camp, Helfrich visited Mariota in Hawaii and called Chip Kelly during the visit. They made the decision to immediately offer Mariota a scholarship despite him never starting a varsity game. After his senior season, Mariota was rated the No. 2 recruiting prospect in Hawaii and No. 12 dual-threat quarterback in the nation by Rivals.com. He was recruited by multiple major programs but was only offered a scholarship by Memphis and Oregon after Oregon’s first choice, Johnny Manziel, reneged on his scholarship and went to Texas A&M.

Mariota redshirted the 2011 season before being showcased in 2012 as the first freshman to start a season opener for the Ducks in 22 seasons. He threw for 2,677 yards with 32 touchdowns against only six interceptions while also rushing for 752 yards and five touchdowns. He earned All-Pac-12 Conference 1st Team honors, Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year, and the 2013 Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP Award.

Mariota continued his development in 2013, earning Pac-12 All-Conference 1st Team honors for the second consecutive year after setting a Pac-12 record by attempting 353 passes without an interception. He completed 245-of-386 passes for 3,665 yards, 31 touchdowns, and only four interceptions while rushing for 715 yards and nine touchdowns despite suffering a partial MCL tear against UCLA. He finished the season with 4,380 yards of total offense, becoming the only player in Oregon history to eclipse 4,000 yards in a season.

Marcus Ardel Taulauniu Mariota Career

Oregon Ducks Breakthrough (2014)

Considered a Heisman Trophy favorite entering the 2014 season, Mariota was named to watch lists for the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, and Davey O’Brien Award. On December 11, 2014, he won the Davey O’Brien Award for the nation’s best quarterback, along with the Walter Camp and Maxwell Awards. The next day, Mariota graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor’s degree in General Sciences with an emphasis on human physiology.

On December 13, 2014, Mariota became the first Oregon Duck and first Hawaii-born athlete to win the Heisman Trophy, receiving 788 out of 891 first-place votes. After a 12-1 regular season record, the Ducks were selected to play in the 2015 Rose Bowl, a College Football Playoff semifinal game, against Florida State. Mariota was named Offensive MVP in the 59-20 victory, throwing for 338 yards with two passing touchdowns and rushing for 62 yards with one touchdown. Oregon faced Ohio State in the National Championship but lost 42-20, with Mariota’s final collegiate pass intercepted in the last 27 seconds.

Tennessee Titans (2015-2019)

Mariota was selected with the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft behind Jameis Winston. In his first career regular-season game against Tampa Bay, he completed 13-of-15 passes for 209 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions, earning a perfect passer rating of 158.3 and becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to attain a perfect passer rating in his first career start. He was also the first quarterback in NFL history to throw four touchdown passes in the first half of his NFL debut. Mariota finished his rookie season with 2,818 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.

During his five seasons with the Titans, Mariota helped the team reach the playoffs in 2017 for the first time since 2008 and win a postseason game for the first time since 2003. In the Wild Card Round against the Kansas City Chiefs, Mariota became only the second player in NFL history and first quarterback in the playoffs to catch his own pass for a touchdown after it was batted back to him. The Titans won 22-21 for their first playoff win since 2003. Mariota’s tenure was marked by injuries and inconsistent play, leading to him losing his starting position to Ryan Tannehill in 2019.

Las Vegas Raiders (2020-2021)

On March 16, 2020, Mariota signed a two-year, $17.6 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders to serve as Derek Carr’s backup. He was placed on injured reserve during the 2020 season and made his Raiders debut in Week 15 against the Chargers after Carr left with a groin injury. Mariota completed 17-of-28 passes for 226 yards, a touchdown, and an interception while rushing for 88 yards and a touchdown. Throughout the 2021 season, Mariota was used frequently as a gadget quarterback entering games to run or hand off the football.

Atlanta Falcons (2022)

On March 21, 2022, Mariota signed a two-year, $18.75 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons after Atlanta traded longtime starter Matt Ryan. He was named the starting quarterback after competing with rookie Desmond Ridder. In the season opener against the Saints, he threw for 215 yards and rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown during the 27-26 loss. During a Week 6 victory over the 49ers, he completed 13-of-14 passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 50 yards and a touchdown, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Mariota was benched in Week 15 in favor of Ridder and placed on injured reserve with a knee injury six days later. In the 2022 season, 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.

Philadelphia Eagles (2023)

On March 20, 2023, Mariota signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles in a backup role to Jalen Hurts. He appeared in three games, throwing for a touchdown and an interception in Week 18 against the Giants. The Eagles reached the Super Bowl but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Washington Commanders Era (2024-Present)

On March 14, 2024, Mariota signed a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders. He briefly wore number 0 as his jersey number, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to do so before changing to 18 after training camp. With the Commanders selecting quarterback Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in the 2024 draft, Mariota was named third-string quarterback to start the season. He was placed on injured reserve after straining his pectoral muscle in practice before being activated in October. During Week 7 against the Panthers, Mariota entered after Daniels suffered a rib injury and completed 18-of-23 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns in the 40-7 victory.

Daniels started each of the Commanders’ postseason games with no appearances from Mariota. Their postseason run ended with a 55-23 loss in the NFC Championship to the Philadelphia Eagles. On March 13, 2025, Mariota re-signed with the Commanders on a one-year, $8 million contract. During Week 3 against the Raiders, he started in place of an injured Daniels and completed 15-of-21 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown in the 41-24 victory. He started again in Week 8 against the Chiefs, completing 21-of-30 passes for 213 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions in the 28-7 road loss. After Daniels was ruled out for the season after Week 14, Mariota was named the starter.

Driving Style and Strengths

Mariota is known for his dual-threat ability as a quarterback, combining accurate passing with exceptional mobility. His athletic versatility allows him to extend plays with his legs while also functioning as a gadget player in short-yardage and red-zone situations. His career-high 438 rushing yards with the Falcons in 2022 demonstrated his continued elusiveness despite his size at 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds. His football intelligence and leadership qualities have made him a valuable mentor to younger quarterbacks throughout his career.

Notable Events and Milestones

Mariota’s signature moment came in December 2014 when he became the first Hawaii-born athlete to win the Heisman Trophy, receiving 88.4 percent of first-place votes. In the NFL, his perfect passer rating debut in 2015 set an NFL record for rookie quarterbacks. His memorable playoff moment came in the 2017 Wild Card Round when he caught his own pass for a touchdown, becoming the first quarterback in playoff history to do so. His versatility was on full display when he became the first NFL player since 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 Ardel Taulauniu Mariota Career Statistics

Mariota has accumulated significant statistics across his NFL career with the Titans, Raiders, Falcons, Eagles, and Commanders. His career passing totals include over 17,000 yards with a completion percentage exceeding 62 percent. He has demonstrated consistent rushing ability throughout his career, accumulating over 2,400 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground.

NFL Career Highlights

Throughout his NFL career spanning from 2015 to present, Mariota has appeared in over 90 games with 76 starts. His best statistical season came in 2016 with the Titans when he threw for a career-high 3,426 passing yards with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions while also rushing for 349 yards and two touchdowns. He was ranked 50th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017 and was named a Pro Bowl first alternate. His 2017 season saw him lead the Titans to their first playoff berth since 2008 and first playoff win since 2003.

College Career Highlights

Mariota’s collegiate career at Oregon from 2011 to 2014 remains one of the most decorated in school history. He completed his college career as the Oregon record holder for total offense and became the only player in school history to eclipse 4,000 yards of total offense in a single season. His 2014 season saw him throw for 3,783 yards and 38 touchdowns while rushing for 669 yards and 15 touchdowns. He earned unanimous All-American honors and became the first player to win the Heisman Trophy as a Oregon Duck.

Marcus Ardel Taulauniu Mariota Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Mariota was born to Toa Mariota and Alana Deppe-Mariota in Honolulu, Hawaii. His father Toa is of Samoan descent while his mother Alana is of German descent. His younger brother, Matt Mariota, also played football at the University of Oregon, primarily on special teams. The family has maintained strong ties to Hawaii throughout Marcus’s professional career.

Personal Life

Mariota married Kiyomi Cook in 2021, and the couple welcomed their first child, a son named Makaia, in 2022. Mariota describes himself as a dedicated Christian and has been open about his faith throughout his career. He was one of three quarterbacks, along with Patrick Mahomes and Kirk Cousins, documented on and off the field during the 2022 season for the Netflix and NFL Films series Quarterback, which debuted in July 2023. The Mariotas have a foundation called Motiv8, which works to provide sports and healthy lifestyle programming to children.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season began with Mariota re-signing with the Washington Commanders on a one-year, $8 million contract in March. He entered the season as the third-string quarterback behind starter Jayden Daniels and backup Jeff Driskel. Mariota’s first significant action came in Week 3 when he started against his former team, the Las Vegas Raiders, completing 15-of-21 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown in a commanding 41-24 victory.

Mariota earned another start in Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs when Daniels was unavailable, completing 21-of-30 passes for 213 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions in a 28-7 road loss. The difficult game tested Mariota’s resilience against one of the league’s top teams. Following Daniels’s season-ending injury after Week 14, Mariota was elevated to the starting role for the remainder of the season, bringing his experience and leadership to the Commanders’ quarterback room as they competed in the NFC playoff picture.