This Oregon Ducks legend could start in place of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes next season.
Oregon Ducks legend Marcus Mariota has certainly not lived up to expectations on the professional level and has bounced around quite a bit since being selected by the Tennessee Titans with the second overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Mariota has played with five teams overall, most recently spending his last two seasons with the Washington Commanders.
The 32-year-old is headed for free agency this offseason and will be one of the top backup quarterbacks available, so he should have a host of suitors.
While the Minnesota Vikings have been floated as a potential landing due to the uncertainty surrounding J.J. McCarhty, another possible destination is the Kansas City Chiefs.
Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL late in the 2025 campaign, putting the start of the 2026 season in jeopardy for the three-time Super Bowl champion.
Yes, Mahomes is expected back at some point next year, but there is no exact timetable for his return. In the meantime, the Chiefs will need to find an answer under center. So how about Mariota?
Marcus Mariota. Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images.Mariota played in 11 games and made eight starts for the Commanders in relief of the injured Jayden Daniels this past season, throwing for 1,695 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 61.2 percent of his passes.
The Oregon product has actually put together a rather respectable NFL career overall and has proven he is a solid spot starter, so it would absolutely make sense for Kansas City to add him on a one-year contract.
Of course, Mariota may prefer to go somewhere where he would stand a better chance of starting all season (like Minnesota, for example), but there is no question that the Chiefs comprise an interesting opportunity for him.
As far as backups are concerned, Kenny Pickett, Tyrod Taylor and Carson Wentz are other compelling options, but Mariota might actually be the best of the bunch.
There actually was a time earlier in his NFL tenure where Mariota appeared to be on a very positive trajectory, but injuries started derailing him by his third season.
The Hawaiian native spent three years with the Ducks between 2012 and 2014, winning the Heisman Trophy during his final season after tossing 42 touchdown passes.
We'll see where Mariota ends up this spring. Watch out for the Chiefs.
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