Did Marcus Mariota Quit On The Falcons?
Desmond Ridder is going to make his debut this weekend after the Falcons decided to make a quarterback change. Marcus Mariota will cede his starting job to the rookie out of Cincinnati. Mariota is NOT happy about it… to the point where he is being accused of quitting on the team by head coach Arthur Smith.
“[The injury] is nothing that has been an issue this season, but that’s [Mariota’s] prerogative so … ” Smith said, according to The Athletic. “Of course, you want all your guys to be here, but guys have to make decisions. It’s part of professional sports. You have to have contingency plans.”
“Those [conversations] are never easy,” Smith said of his talk with Mariota. “You try to be truthful, whether they agree or not, those are the conversations you have to have.”
“It’s a performance-based decision,” Smith said. “We’re trying to push the offense. We feel like this is the best decision for where he’s at, where the team’s at.”
There are probably going to be several schools of thought here. Nobody should blame Marcus Mariota for taking care of his body if the Falcons are going to essentially end his season. Mariota can probably earn another job after this year somewhere.
Having said that, tough look if Arthur Smith’s words have any credence. Did Mariota quit on the team? Is he just going to sit at home the rest of the year? It’s not like the guy lit the world on fire. Sorry, but 15 touchdowns and nine picks isn’t getting the job done. 55.4 QBR on the year isn’t getting the job done. This offense stinks and he’s a big reason why. This late into the season, there is no reason not to get a look at Ridder at this point.
