ATLANTA — Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota, who signed a two-year, $18.7 million deal Thursday, was not promised the starting job.
“It really came down to the opportunity,” Mariota said Friday on a virtual call with the local media. “Obviously, (Falcons coach Arthur Smith) said, there’s a chance for (me) to play. A chance for (me) to start right away. You know, and really, for me at this point in time in my career, that’s what I was looking for.”
Mariota, 28, was the second player taken overall, by the Titans, in the 2015 NFL draft. Mariota, who won the Heisman Trophy while playing at Oregon, went 29-32 as a starter in the NFL with the Titans. He was a reserve the past two seasons with the Raiders.
