Marcus Mariota, the quarterback for the Washington Commanders, said he chose to join his new team because of the coaching staff,
Marcus Mariota, the quarterback for the Washington Commanders, said he chose to join his new team the season and the NFLPA poll with low rankings, it can give the impression that players won’t want to join such a group.
But for Marcus Mariota, the new quarterback, it was all about playing for the right coaching staff, so say what you want about the Commanders’ building, the showers, and the travel arrangements.
Mariota responded, “It really came down to I want to be part of an incredible coaching staff,” when questioned about his decision to attend Washington. “(Coach Dan Quinn) has had such a great reputation across the league and for me to be a part of this and to meet with them today, I can just feel the vibe in the facility and I’m excited to get to work.”
That vibe Mariota discusses is being felt by him and others in the building, and also by the fans who are hoping this is finally the shift the Commanders needed to restore the glory days of football in the DMV.
However, Mariota also knows the shift that helped bring him here might also relegate him to a backup role, one he filled with the and new Commanders assistant head coach Brian Johnson last year.
It’s a role that no player truly wants, but one Mariota is willing to accept because of his connection with the coach he followed to Washington.
“I think very highly of Brian. And I think everything that happened over the course of the last season, how he handled it is a testament to his character,” Mariota said. And I just want to surround myself with good people. I think ultimately in the end, you’ll find ways to win games when you’ve got a lot of good people in the building and it seems like that’s kind of going on here and I’m just appreciative of the fact that I get to be a part of it.”
