The starting quarterback job has gone to Ryan Tannehill, but the Tennessee Titans apparently aren’t shutting the door on their former No. 1 draft pick, Marcus Mariota.
On the day that he formally announced Mariota’s demotion for the Week 7 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, head coach Mike Vrabel also told the media Wednesday, “I am very confident that, after having talked to Marcus and watching him prepare already today, if called upon, at some point and time, we expect him to be ready to go.”
Mariota, the second overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft, started every game in the Titans’ 2-4 beginning but was lifted in the third quarter of Sunday’s eventual 16-0 loss at Denver for Tannehill, who made his first appearance of the season.
Mariota, in the final season of his five-year rookie contract, vowed the relegation to the bench, “isn’t going to bring me down. This isn’t going to end my career.”
Former Titans quarterback Vince Young tweeted support to Mariota saying, “Support and when you get the starting position back don’t give it back!!”
Mariota said, “For me, my expectation was always to be the best player that I could be. To the day that I die, I believe that I gave all I (had). No matter what, I can learn and grow from this situation.”
He told the assembled media his first reaction was, “Disappointment. It is gonna be different. I haven’t really been in this role for a long time (or) at all in my career. So, again, I’m going to do everything that I can to help Ryan and help this team.”
Tannehill, who was acquired in an off-season trade after starting 88 games at Miami, said, “(Marcus) has been nothing but a professional throughout this process, and it just speaks to the man he is, how he’s dealt with this. Obviously, he is hurting but he’s handled it like a true pro and that says a lot about him.”
Vrabel said he made the change looking for a spark for a team that has lost four of its last five games. “It is not an easy thing for any player,” Vrabel said. “I would say it is not an easy thing for a coach who cares about his players … to make that decision. But we felt like this was the right thing for the team right now.”
