Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota (1) throws against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Despite benching, QB Marcus Mariota still has place in NFL

By Cory Woodroof | Last updated 12/8/22

Even through Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota has been benched, he still has a future in the NFL.

The eight-year veteran quarterback out of Oregon guided a fledgling Falcons team to a 5-8 record before getting pulled for rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder on Thursday.

Even though Mariota's limitations in the passing game remain clear, he can still offer a franchise a lot at his position.

For starters, Mariota is beloved among his teammates. He's known for his humility and treatment of others. After Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mariota's teammates rallied behind him after a bad performance.

"I've got Marcus' back to the end, I hope [fans] will, too."#Falcons player support quarterback Marcus Mariota after tough outing in loss to Steelers.
Here's Tyler Allgeier, Kaleb McGary and MyCole Pruitt pic.twitter.com/NrNGgBMutP
— Justin Felder (@Justin_FOX5) December 4, 2022

Any NFL locker room can benefit from a Mariota on the roster. Just looking how the New York Jets situation has gone with Zach Wilson, maturity and respectability are valuable traits.

Mariota also remains one of the NFL's best rushing quarterbacks.

He rushed for 438 yards and four touchdowns during his 13 starts. He's sixth in the NFL for total quarterback rushing yards as well.

The quarterback is lethal with his legs, particularly in the end zone.

Marcus Mariota takes it himself for the touchdown!

Good start in his return to the PNW #ProDucks pic.twitter.com/A8SGda1ppR
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) September 25, 2022

While Mariota might be done as a full-time starter in the NFL, he immediately becomes one of the league's best options as a backup. He could be a great mentor to a young quarterback.

If a team wants to get creative, Mariota could be used in other ways in the offense. It'd be similar to how the New Orleans Saints helped convert Taysom Hill to a do-everything gadget player.

Mariota's days as a Falcon are likely over, given his salary. However, he should still find ways to stick around the league for what he does bring to the table.

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