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HomeSportsA Look at Tennessee Titans Quarterback Marcus Mariota

A Look at Tennessee Titans Quarterback Marcus Mariota

Tennessee TitansNashville, TN – With the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans selected quarterback Marcus Mariota, the former Oregon quarterback and 2014 Heisman Trophy winner. Mariota later became the first quarterback in franchise history to start in Week 1 of his rookie season and recorded 12 total starts. He missed four contests due to injury.

Mariota unquestionably raised the bar for franchise rookie quarterbacks, breaking the club’s rookie records for attempts (370), yards (2,818), completions (230) and touchdowns (19).

Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota. (Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports)
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota. (Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports)

His 62.2 completion percentage not only set the franchise rookie record but also qualified as the fifth-highest rookie percentage in NFL history, and he finished with a franchise rookie record 91.5 passer rating.

Only Steve McNair in his MVP season of 2003 (100.4 passer rating) and Hall of Famer Warren Moon in 1990 (96.8) finished with a better passer rating in a season than Mariota did in 2015. Mariota also joined Peyton Manning (1998) as the only NFL rookie quarterbacks to ever complete three touchdown passes in four different games.

On the ground, the dual-threat signal caller accounted for 252 yards and a pair of touchdowns, ranking second in franchise history in rushing yards by a rookie quarterback. His highlight-reel 87-yard touchdown run against Jacksonville (December 6th) was the fifth-longest rushing play in franchise history and the longest NFL rushing play of 2015.

2015 Marcus Mariota Highlights

  • Set the franchise rookie passing records for attempts (370), yards (2,818), completions (230) and touchdowns (19).
  • Finished the season with a 91.5 passer rating, which ranks third in franchise history behind only Steve McNair’s 2003 MVP season (100.4) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon’s 1990 campaign (96.8).
  • Registered a 116.1 passer rating in the red zone, which ranked third in the NFL in 2015 and was the highest by any Titans quarterback since at least 1991.
  • Set a franchise rookie record by completing 62.2 percent of his passes. That is the fifth-highest percentage by a rookie quarterback in NFL history and the eighth-highest completion percentage in a season by any quarterback in Titans/Oilers history.
  • In six road games, completed 108 of 171 passes for 1,374 yards with 10 touchdowns and one interception. His 105.3 road passer rating ranked fourth in the NFL in 2015 and set a new franchise record, topping Chris Chandler’s 102.2 passer rating on the road in 1995.
  • Finished second in franchise history in rushing yards by a rookie quarterback, trailing only Vince Young’s 2006 total of 552 rushing yards.
  • Became the first rookie quarterback in Titans/Oilers history to start the first game of his rookie season (September 13th at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). In the game, he achieved a perfect passer rating, leading to AFC Offensive Player of the Week and NFL Rookie of the Week honors. He joined Fran Tarkenton as the only rookies in NFL history to throw four touchdown passes in a season opener.
  • Joined Peyton Manning (1998) as the only rookie quarterbacks in NFL history to complete three touchdown passes in four different games.
  • Tied Mark Rypien’s NFL record with eight touchdown passes in his first three NFL games. He was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for September.
  • Twice set the franchise single-game rookie passing yardage record, first with 367 yards against Indianapolis (September 27th) and then with 371 yards at New Orleans (November 8th).
  • At New Orleans (November 8th), threw the first game-winning touchdown pass in overtime in franchise history. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the performance.
  • Became the first rookie in NFL history to record two games with four touchdown passes and no interceptions (September 13th at Tampa Bay and November 8th at New Orleans).
  • Completed more touchdown passes (13) through his team’s first eight games than any other rookie in NFL history.
  • Became the first player in NFL history with 250 passing yards, three touchdown passes and 100 rushing yards in a game, when he accomplished the feat against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 6th.
  • Rushed for an 87-yard touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 6th, registering the longest run in franchise history by a quarterback and the fifth-longest run overall for the team. It also was the third-longest run by any NFL quarterback since 1960.
  • Became the first player since Walter Payton in 1983 to record touchdowns of 40 or more yards passing, rushing and receiving in the same season.
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