2 min read • March 27, 2022
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New Falcons signee Marcus Mariota has not started a game since 2019, but is poised to be Atlanta's starting quarterback for the foreseeable future.
The 28-year-old spent the last two years serving as the backup quarterback with the Raiders, but only served a limited role because of multiple injuries.
Injuries also plagued him during the end of his tenure with the Titans. In fact, a nerve injury likely opened the door for Ryan Tannehill to take over as the starter in Tennessee.
His diminished production began in September 2018 when suffered a pinched nerve in his elbow. Mariota said he lost feeling in his hand for a time and had issues gripping the ball.
He missed one game, but clearly still had issues with his grip when he returned, said Dr. David Chao, ProFootballDoc.
"Grip issues caused by a pinched nerve typically don't remedy in a short period of time, and that was the case with Mariota," Chao said.
Mariota continued playing, but struggled with his accuracy at the start.
The elbow/nerve issue continued to affect his grip and prevented him from throwing the ball downfield, Chao said.
He then suffered a cervical neck stinger in mid-November that was related to the nerve issue.
After another cervical neck stinger in late December, the Titans sat Mariota in the season's final week.
He returned for the 2018 playoffs and won a tight game against Kansas City, but lost the following week to the Patriots and completed just 59% of his passes.
Unfortunately for Mariota, the nerve issues seemed to linger in the start of the 2019 season. He went 2-4 as a starter and completed 59.1% of his passes, well below his average of 68% the previous season.
After six games, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft was replaced by Ryan Tannehill, who had started 11 games for the Dolphins before joining the Titans.
Tannehill went on to win Comeback Player of the Year and was selected to the Pro Bowl.
Mariota never got another shot with the Titans and struggled to stay healthy with the Raiders, suffering a strained pectoral in 2020 and a strained quad last season.
Fortunately for Mariota and the Falcons, none of those issues are likely to linger into his time with Atlanta.
He now has a chance for substantial playing time replacing Matt Ryan and display his dual threat ability.
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