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Marcus Mariota is the quintessential rookie quarterback and it shows in the way he plays, the way he talks to the media and just the way he carries himself. As one of the few “nice guys” of the NFL, no one really likes to see Mariota get hurt.
During the Titans’ game against the Miami Dolphins, the rookie took a hit from DE Oliver Vernon which was ruled a “late, low hit.” The hit hasn’t come without a cost though as Vernon has been fined an unusual $37,363 for the hit. However, the bigger story is on Mariota and just how long he will be out.
The hit on Mariota has resulted in an MCL sprain and according to Titans HC Ken Whisenhunt, the hit looked to be deliberate and intended to hurt Mariota. While Mariota has been pretty hush-hush on the whole incident, it has to be hard going from the big man on campus to being the one on the bench. For a few days, it looked like he would end up playing against the Falcons in Week 7. HE seemed optimistic for his return, “You got to be able to show that you buy into what’s going on here, and I’m going to do my best to make sure that I’m prepared and hopefully can go on Sunday” which are wise and mature words for someone as young as Mariota.
However now it looks like Mariota will be sitting on the bench and former starter turned backup QB Zach Mettenberger will be taking his place this week. While Mettenberger might not bring a win to the Titans this week, as long as Mariota is able to stay healthy and play again soon, Titans fans should feel a sense of relief.
