What Happened to Marcus Mariota? All About 2014 Heisman Winner’s Oregon Career, NFL Journey, and Setbacks

During a dismal 3-8 season for Washington, QB Marcus Mariota has been a steady presence. Stepping up whenever Jayden Daniels missed time. This was the case against the Dolphins, too. Mariota took the helm, helping the Commanders build a 13-6 lead, but a brutal double hit sent him to the medical tent. But the veteran QB did not stay on the sidelines for much longer.

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He bounced back quickly, breaking free for a sensational 44-yard rush that sparked the team. Mariota threw a critical interception to Jack Jones on the first play in overtime. Finished the night in Madrid with 213 passing yards, and despite his heroics, the game ended in heartbreak. Fortunately, this week there is a lot of positives to look forward to, as he joins Oregon’s Hall of Fame.

Marcus Mariota’s background and his Oregon Ducks career

Born and raised in Honolulu, Marcus Mariota attended Saint Louis School in Hawaii. Interestingly, he grew up playing soccer, later moved to football, but did not start at QB until his senior year. His stunning display at school was where he threw for 2,597 yards on 165-of-255 passing, tossing 34 touchdowns and led his team to the state championship. This also earned him the Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year award. Then, after completing his school journey, he joined the Ducks and redshirted his 2011 season. In 2012, he began playing for Oregon and earned numerous accolades throughout his college career.

During his first year as a starter, Mariota led the Ducks to a 12-1 record and a Fiesta Bowl win. The excellence continued during the sophomore year with a performance of 3,665 yards and 31 TDs, and being a Manning Award finalist. He left as the Oregon and Pac-12 leader in total offense with 13,033 yards. Besides, he is a three-time Pac-12 first-team QB and the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner. His final season with the Ducks also saw him lead Oregon to the National Championship. Finishing his college career with an impressive 36-5 record as a starter, he was eventually drafted in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Titans.

While Mariota is still making plays for the Commanders, he now gets the chance to return to Eugene. He will be the guest picker on ESPN’s College GameDay for the Oregon vs USC matchup and is set to be inducted into the Oregon Athletics Hall of Fame. Here, Dan Lanning didn’t hold back to admit Mariota’s lasting impact, stating, “Marcus is a guy that we’re just so proud of here, and to see the level that he’s been able to play at here and then to carry that on to the NFL.”

While his Oregon legacy speaks volumes, let’s look at his Heisman votes, especially considering this season’s wide-open race.

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Who did Marcus Mariota win the Heisman over?

Mariota is an Oregon legend through and through, the program’s only Heisman winner to date. But that accolade was not easy. Even the 2013 winner, Jameis Winston, came back for another season. Plus, there was competition from Amari Cooper and Melvin Gordon. But Marcus Mariota finished on top, garnering 2,534 points, more than twice as many as second-place Wisconsin’s RB Gordon. The domination of votes is equivalent to the Ducks QB’s stats.

In that season, he threw for 3,783 yards and 38 TDs, which is why Mariota was listed first on 788 of 928 ballots, then the third-most in Heisman history. And a decade later, he continues to be a force in the pro league.

How much money has Marcus Mariota made in the NFL, and what are his career earnings?

Mariota’s 2025 pay package with the Commanders is layered. The one year $8,000,000 contract includes $5,500,000 signing bonus with a base salary of $1,890,000 and a workout bonus of $100,000. His current net worth stands at $75,541,683 thanks to his NFL earnings. In 2020, the 32-year-0ld was 83rd on the Forbes list of the world’s highest-paid athletes as he earned $23.9 million.

He was able to cash in $20.9 million through his NFL salary, winning prizes, and his $3 million worth of endorsement deals, per Forbes. According to the report, Mariota has earned $83 million in his career overall. But all this earning didn’t come without setbacks.

What major setbacks have impacted Marcus Mariota’s NFL career?

Mariota signed with the Falcons ahead of the 2022 season. Reuniting with Arthur Smith, who coached him in Tennessee, he was expected to help Atlanta chase the NFC South title. Unfortunately, the season unfolded closer to the latter. He struggled to meet expectations and was eventually benched. Then, knee issues late in the season led to surgery, and he was released during the offseason.

While injuries, inconsistent play, and missed opportunities prevented him from solidifying a long-term starting role, fans got a closer look at his challenges in the Netflix series Quarterback. But the journey didn’t stop there. Looking ahead to 2023, Mariota found a new home with the Eagles as Jalen Hurts’ top backup.

Eagles GM Howie Roseman praised his athleticism, saying Mariota could run the offense if called upon. Still, the key challenge remained keeping the oft-injured QB healthy. Now, Mariota’s resilience shows he’s ready to keep fighting for his place.

Did Marcus Mariota quit football?

Despite the setback, Mariota still continues his NFL journey with Washington. This season, he started nearly half their games and started more games than Daniels. While injury didn’t stop him from continuing his football journey, the NFL QB serves as a mentor to the next generation of the Ducks. Oregon QB Dante Moore shared his admiration for Mariota, pointing to his influence on Moore’s journey.

“Growing up, he was a quarterback that everyone loved watching. He’s for sure a GOAT around here at the University of Oregon,” said Moore. “He’s somebody as a quarterback that you just love watching play, watching him in the NFL currently and in college of him just making plays.”

But not only Moore; last year’s QB Dillon Gabriel also spoke about his close connection with Marcus, while Justin Herbert called Mariota a “great mentor” in 2022. Now, while Mariota’s influence clearly stretches far beyond the field, we will see what this season brings to him.