Latest news with #MarcusMariota
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Marcus Mariota Speaks Out On Re-Signing With Commanders
Marcus Mariota Speaks Out On Re-Signing With Commanders originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Washington Commanders know how important having a good backup quarterback can be for a team. They won a Super Bowl in 1987 in part because of that reality. In 2025, the Commanders have a claim to fielding the best backup quarterback again. Marcus Mariota, the Heisman Trophy winner and former second overall pick, re-signed with the team this offseason. After spending just a single season in Washington, it was clear to Mariota that he belonged there to continue to mentor young signal-caller Jayden Daniels. Working with a top coaching staff didn't hurt, either. "For me, it was one of those things hard to pass up, and you want to go somewhere where you're wanted," Mariota said via Spectrum News. "And they were very adamant that they wanted me back for another year. I love coach, DQ (Dan Quinn), and just Kliff (coordinator Kingsbury) and the offense, and for me, it was like a no-brainer." Mariota appeared in three games last season, completing over 77% of his passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns. Those kind of numbers are very solid for a backup quarterback who is faced with the task — if he ever has to enter a game — of keeping the program upright and pushing in the proper direction. A "bus driver," we like to call that QB. For Washington, Mariota's numbers show they have a competent player they can rely on to keep the positivity going if something — football gods forbid — happens to Daniels. Mariota did not have to return to the Commanders this offseason. As a top backup in the league, he could have negotiated a larger contract with another team. But he never did. Whether it's a testament to the coaching staff or the culture in place, Mariota's return further proves that things have changed in Washington for the better. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Why Kirk Cousins felt ‘misled' by the Falcons and played through injury in Netflix series
It would be absurd to argue Kirk Cousins is in any way a tragic story, but here we go anyway. Cousins, the Atlanta Falcons' savior-turned-backup, stars in the second season of 'Quarterback,' Netflix's documentary series highlighting the sport's most glamorous position. The new season debuted on Tuesday. Advertisement It is the second time Cousins has appeared in the show, and the second time a Falcons quarterback has been featured. Cousins was part of the debut season in 2023 along with then-Atlanta quarterback Marcus Mariota. Mariota and Cousins were both benched by the Falcons in their featured seasons, so don't expect to see Michael Penix Jr. on the next season of 'Quarterback.' In fact, the series might be gaining a reputation around the league thanks to a track record that rivals the Madden video game cover curse. In Season 1, the three subjects were Cousins, Mariota and Patrick Mahomes. Cousins tore his Achilles tendon early in the season and Mariota was benched, though Mahomes and the Chiefs went on to win a second straight Super Bowl. In Season 2, Cousins is joined by the Bengals' Joe Burrow, who missed the playoffs despite a prolific passing season (and had his home burglarized), and the Lions' Jared Goff, who suffered a shocking first-round playoff loss. Falcons fans are well aware of how Cousins' story played out. It started in storybook fashion, of course. Cousins, who had spent six years in Washington and six more in Minnesota trying to get those teams to fully embrace him, seemed finally to have found a partner willing to commit. Any excuse to post the KhaDarel Hodge walk-offhttps:// — Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) March 17, 2025 The Falcons offered a four-year deal that guaranteed $90 million (and has already paid out $100 million) and was potentially worth $180 million, the largest total-value free-agency deal in league history. It seemed like a great fit. Atlanta is the sports city that has always just wanted to be loved, and Cousins was more than willing to wrap his arms around it. In his introductory news conference, Cousins talked about being married and having a child born in the city, his father-in-law's Falcons fandom, his native's knowledge of the city's dreadful traffic and the laser show at Stone Mountain. He was all in, and he thought the team was, too. Advertisement But the Falcons were batting their eyes at someone else within six weeks. The new season of 'Quarterback' doesn't offer many insights beyond what Cousins already has said publicly, but this comment from Cousins in Episode 1 about the drafting of Penix had a sharp end to it: 'Was pretty surprised when the draft happened, wasn't expecting us to take a quarterback so high. At the time, it felt like I had been a little bit misled or certainly if I had had the information around free agency, it would have affected my decision. I had no reason to leave Minnesota, as much as we loved it there, if both teams were drafting a quarterback high.' Still, the honeymoon phase in Atlanta was fun, which 'Quarterback' chronicles. In Episodes 3 and 4, we get to relive the city's joy at the Falcons' 6-3 start, 'Swag Surfin'' and 'Take Over Your Trap,' hear head coach Raheem Morris telling Cousins 'I love you, I love you' on the field after the overtime touchdown pass to KhaDarel Hodge, and see Cousins, his brother and two longtime friends belting out Cher songs while waiting in the Cookout drive-through line after a win over the Cowboys. Then the wheels — and the shoulder and the elbow — fell off. The end of Episode 4 is when the ominous music kicks in, and it comes when Cousins is sacked by Saints defensive end Payton Turner in Week 10. 'Immediately, my elbow lit up, and I knew I had irritated something. Had a shooting pain through the inside of my elbow,' Cousins told Netflix, adding, 'My shoulder started to really throb, so I knew right away, OK this is a little more serious. Once I lost my shoulder and elbow, I didn't have many more things to lean on to get the power I needed. It's hard looking back to not view it as things certainly turned in that moment because in a way they did.' At the time, Cousins and the team downplayed the idea of an injury, even as that game kicked off a five-game skid that included nine Cousins interceptions and four Falcons losses. Cousins called his appearance on the injury report the following week 'a clerical error.' Advertisement 'If I was going to be on the injury report every time I didn't feel 100 percent, I would have been on the injury report every week of my entire career, including college,' he told Netflix. 'The way I viewed it is if I took every single rep in practice, then I'm a full participant. I'm not basing it off the pain I feel because I feel pain every week.' There's a compelling argument to be made that Cousins should have been more open with his employers about his physical condition and an equally compelling argument that his employers should have pressed him more on the matter, but 'Quarterback' doesn't get too deep in those waters. 'Should I have sat out? Should I have done something different in my rehab? You know, you have all those questions,' Cousins said. 'With the information I had at the time, I made the best decision, but you also know if you sit down Week 10 and take two or three weeks to let it heal, you may never get your job back. I remember reading Drew Brees' book back in 2010, how he made the point that he tried to never let his backup see the field, even if the guy was no threat. He just felt like you should never do that. That was something I always was aware of.' The show does, though, walk Cousins and his family slowly through the season's difficult end. Again, there is no tragedy here. Cousins has been paid $294.2 million to play professional football, more than all but five other players in history, for a career that includes one playoff win. He and agent Mike McCartney are first-ballot contract negotiation Hall of Famers. He has a happy and healthy family, which the series chronicles. There is no reason at all to feel sorry for him, but watching Julie Cousins recount the night her husband lost his starting job isn't easy. Morris called Cousins at home the Tuesday night after Atlanta's Week 15 win over the Raiders, his wife said. 'He knew what that meant and so did I,' Julie Cousins said. Throughout his career, and especially during his time in Atlanta, Cousins has been willing to open up an informational vein and be vulnerable in a way most of the league's stars are not. Advertisement He's an unironically abashed fan of virtually the entire Disney movie catalog and a lover of a good story. He knows, it seems, the type of details that make those stories good, and he often offers up honest and intimate details to the storytellers that circle the NFL. Julie Cousins shows the same traits in Episode 7 as she recounts the night Cousins was benched. 'He was gone for about an hour, and that was a really sad time,' she said. 'My kids were playing, and I was crying. They were like, 'What's wrong? Is he not on the team anymore?' He came back and sat in the garage. When I went out there, he was calling Michael, which I thought was really cool, like, 'Who does that?'' The couple then explained to their two young sons that 'Mr. Michael is going to be the quarterback now,' Julie Cousins said. Overall, there isn't much new in 'Quarterback,' but it is a good reminder of how much fun it might have been for both sides if things had worked out differently. The series for Cousins wraps with the quarterback acknowledging his future is murky but underlining his belief that his story is not finished. 'I want to finish with a world championship,' he said. 'I'm going to have a fire in my tank to finish strong, wherever this thing goes.'
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Commanders' Marcus Mariota Opens Up On 'Rewarding' Jayden Daniels Mentorship
Commanders' Marcus Mariota Opens Up On 'Rewarding' Jayden Daniels Mentorship originally appeared on Athlon Sports. When it comes ot the most important positions in football, quarterback is the clear No. 1 for some, but the backup quarterback role might be just as important, and Washington Commanders' Marcus Mariota is an example of that. Advertisement Jayden Daniels came to the franchise last offseason with the burden of expectations placed on his young shoulders, but luckily, he had Mariota, an NFL veteran, to help ease his transition. And it worked to a tee. Now, Mariota is back for a second season in the nation's capital, and opened up on the mentorship role he played for Daniels last year. "It was really unique for me, because I felt like I was kind of reliving my career, in a sense, where I was trying to help guide him in this, in ways where maybe I made a mistake or where I could have been better,' Mariota said via Spectrum News. 'So it's kind of like reliving that all over again. That experience was really fun for me. It was actually really rewarding. And to have someone like Jay, who's just an unbelievable dude off the field, too.' Advertisement Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) and quarterback Marcus Mariota (18).© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Daniels would have one of the best rookie seasons ever, and Marcus likely played a role in that, keeping the rookie calm, taking things off his plate that didn't need to be there, or simply just being a sounding board. Now back behind Daniels for the 2025 season, that level of comfort for Jayden can't be underestimated as Washington looks to go one better and make the Super Bowl. Yes, Daniels will have his trials and tribulations throughout the year, but he'll have Mariota, who has seen just about everything in the NFL, helping guide him. The starting quarterback role isn't for the faint-hearted, and it's a tough thing to do well, but with Mariota behind him, Daniels feels poised to again make some serious noise. Advertisement Related: Is Commanders' Jayden Daniels 'Cemented' as Top-10 QB? Related: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Impressed by Deebo Samuel's Offseason This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The best Hawaii high schools for athletes? According to one study, these are the top 25
WASHINGTON - JANUARY 20: The Punahou High School Marching Band, President Barack Obama's alma mater, marches in the Inaugural Parade down Pennsylvania Avenue on January 20, 2009 in Washington, DC. Hawaii high school sports have been the starting point for countless legendary athletes. Names like Clarence "Buster" Crabbe, Duke Kahanamoku and Jackie Pung are part of the historical storylines, alongside more recent stars such as Michelle Wie West, Jocelyn Alo, Marcus Mariota, Manti Te'o and emerging talents like Dillion Gabriel. Advertisement Simply put, Hawaii stands out as one of America's best states for producing elite student-athletes at the high school level. Which Hawaii high schools are currently the best for athletes? According to one study, which accounts for survey feedback from students and parents—accounting for "reviews of athletics, number of state championships, student participation in athletics, and the number of sports offered at the school"—and data from the U.S. Department of Education, these are the top 25. 25. Pearl-City High School Total number of sports: 30 24. Kapa'a High School Total number of sports: 25 23. Sacred Hearts Academy (Honolulu) Total number of sports: 19 22. Molokai High School (Hoʻolehua) Total number of sports: 21 21. University Laboratory School (Honolulu) Total number of sports: 32 20. Hawai'i Preparatory Academy (Kamuela) Total number of sports: 25 19. James Campbell High School (Ewa Beach) Total number of sports: 30 18. Henry J. Kaiser High School (Honolulu) Total number of sports: 30 17. Kailua High School Total number of sports: 28 16. Mid-Pacific Institute (Honolulu) Total number of sports: 43 15. Waiakea High School (Hilo) Total number of sports: 26 14. Waimea High School Total number of sports: 25 13. Hilo High School Total number of sports: 28 12. Maryknoll School (Honolulu) Total number of sports: 21 11. Leilehua High School (Wahiawā) Total number of sports: 30 10. Henry Perrine Baldwin High School (Wailuku) Total number of sports: 30 9. Lahainaluna High School (Lahaina) Total number of sports: 24 8. Kamehameha Schools Hawai'i Campus (Kea'au) Total number of sports: 22 7. Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus (Honolulu) Total number of sports: 22 6. Mililani High School Total number of sports: 28 5. Konawaena High School (Kealakekua) Total number of sports: 28 4. 'Iolani School (Honolulu) Total number of sports: 36 3. Saint Louis School (Honolulu) Total number of sports: 15 2. Kahuku High & Intermediate School Total number of sports: 26 1. Punahou School (Honolulu) Total number of sports: 21 Data via Niche survey statistics This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: The 25 best high schools for athletes in Hawaii
Reuters
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Reports: Commanders WR Noah Brown hurt during minicamp drill
June 12 - Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown was carted off the field with an apparent injury after making a catch during minicamp on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. Brown, 29, caught a short pass from Marcus Mariota during 7-on-7 drills and stayed on the ground before slowly getting to his feet and limping off to the sideline, where he threw his helmet. He met with athletic trainers and was carted to the team facility. Brown, who re-signed with the Commanders as a free agent in March, has dealt with injuries throughout his seven-year career. That includes the kidney injury he suffered against the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 1, 2024 that knocked him out for the rest of the season, including the Commanders' run to the NFC championship game. Last season, his first in Washington, Brown played in 11 games (nine starts) and made 35 receptions on 56 targets for 453 yards. His lone touchdown came on a 52-yard Hail Mary pass that gave host Washington an 18-15 win over the Chicago Bears on Oct. 27. A seventh-round draft pick by Dallas in 2017, the Ohio State alum has 150 catches for 2,000 yards and six TDs in 87 games (34 starts) with the Cowboys (2017-18, 2020-22), Houston Texans (2023) and Commanders. The Commanders also were without veteran Michael Gallup on Tuesday and Wednesday, reportedly due to a strained hamstring. A Dallas receiver from 2018-23, Gallup, 29, signed with Washington in March after coming out of a retirement that he announced in July 2024. --Field Level Media
