While Jalen Hurts has a firm grasp on the starting quarterback position in Philadelphia, the Eagles came into the second game of the 2023 preseason hoping that Marcus Mariota would make his case for being his backup. Unfortunately, the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner did anything but that.
When the Eagles agreed to terms with Mariota this offseason, it was assumed that he would easily win the backup job, being that he made 13 starts in Atlanta last season. However, on Thursday he showed why he wasn’t welcomed back with open arms by the Falcons, as his dismal performance served as a reminder as to why he was benched for Desmond Ridder towards the end of the 2022 season.
Being that Mariota has starting experience, he had a leg up on 2023 sixth-round pick Tanner McKee. That didn’t seem to matter on Thursday, though. Mariota struggled to find his footing in the team’s 18-18 tie against the Browns. The veteran quarterback went 9-of-17 for 86 yards and was sacked three times.
He also threw a bad interception in the first quarter when he badly overthrew tight end, Grant Calcaterra.
Eagles QB Marcus Mariota is 3-of-9 for 32 yards and an interception vs the Browns.
The interception was a bad miss high. 🏈 pic.twitter.com/f2kihrwJi5
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) August 18, 2023
Mariota got brutally honest about his struggles following his performance on Thursday.
“I was sloppy,” Mariota said, via Pro Football Talk. “I can do a better job of getting our guys operating cleaner and more efficiently. But that is what preseason is for. Kind of get some of that stuff ironed out. Clean off some of the rust. We’ll find ways to get better.”
It remains to be seen how the Eagles’ quarterback depth chart will shake out, as Mariota no longer has a firm grasp on the backup job.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.