Marcus Mariota was cut by the Atlanta Falcons, the team said on Monday. Mariota started 13 games for the Falcons but didn’t establish himself in the team’s long-term plans, and the Falcons made it clear they will be adding to a quarterback room currently led by second-year player Desmond Ridder.
“We appreciate Marcus … ultimately, we’re going to add to the (quarterback) position,” Fontenot said at the NFL combine, via Scott Bair of the team’s site.
Mariota hadn’t had a chance to be a regular starter since 2019, when he was with the Tennessee Titans. The chance with the Falcons wasn’t a great one, but it might have been his last chance to enter a season as a team’s starter. The Falcons had a bad supporting cast and were looking ahead to a more permanent solution at quarterback, and Mariota didn’t succeed in that environment. He had 15 touchdowns, nine interceptions and an 88.2 passer rating. He was benched for Ridder late in the season.