Mariota brings leadership & ‘presence’ to Commanders

The NFL preseason continues this week, with Hawaii’s Marcus Mariota preparing for his 10th season in the league, currently serving as the backup quarterback for the Washington Commanders.

Mariota, a former Heisman Trophy winner and seasoned veteran with 111 total touchdowns in 90 career games, is positioned behind rookie sensation Jayden Daniels, the No. 4 overall draft pick and reigning Heisman winner from LSU.

Washington’s first-year head coach, Dan Quinn, who spends part of his offseason in Hawaii, has been vocal about the value Mariota brings to the team, both as a teammate and a leader.

“Getting to know Marcus, you know, I coached against him a lot. You don’t really know what a man is like when you’re coaching against him, but he has an absolute presence about him,” Quinn said. “Teammates are drawn to him. This quarterback room has the makings of something very special, very unique in different ways.”

Quinn also noted the respect Mariota commands both on and off the field. “I didn’t know the leader he was until now. You’d hear so many things about him, or see him in action, but now I see it firsthand. I spend a lot of my offseason in Hawaii, and people always tell me, tell Marcus I said hello. I’d say, I didn’t know you knew him, (they’d say) I don’t,” Quinn said with a smile. “But that’s how they feel about him back home as well.”

In his first preseason game, Mariota played just one drive, completing his only pass for six yards.

The Commanders’ next preseason game is set for Saturday against fellow Saint Louis alum Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. Hawaii time, and the game will be televised on KHII.