Former starting QB Mariota still finding ways to help Titans

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans benched Marcus Mariota for Ryan Tannehill in mid-October after a 2-4 start. Finding the No. 2 overall pick from the 2015 draft isn’t that hard during their amazing playoff run.

Just keep an eye on the field.

The Titans (11-7) have gotten Mariota into each of their past three games with him completing a pass in two and going out for a pass just last week. Coach Mike Vrabel makes clear they plan to keep tapping him as long as he still is on the roster.

“Well, we just like to try to have a role for everybody that’s active in the game,” Vrabel said. “He’s been very supportive of Ryan, so we’ll keep finding ways for him to help us during the games.”

Mariota had a 92.3 passer rating during the regular season with seven touchdown passes and only two interceptions before being pulled in the third quarter of a 16-0 loss in Denver on Oct. 13. The Titans switched to Tannehill looking for more on offense, and they averaged 30.4 points the rest of the regular season.

That left Mariota running the scout team, and he has helped by pretending to be Deshaun Watson, Tom Brady, Lamar Jackson and now defending NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes in practice as the Titans prepare to visit the Kansas City Chiefs (13-4) on Sunday in the AFC championship game.

“I take every single day, and I try to make the most of it,” Mariota said. “We have a great defense, and for me, it’s an opportunity to get better. Any way I can help this team and try to mimic or emulate what these guys are during the game, I’m going to do it.”

That’s not all Mariota has done.

He wound up on the field in the regular-season finale at Houston, throwing a 24-yard pass to rookie A.J. Brown.

Mariota also came on the field in Foxborough, Massachusetts, during the Titans’ 20-13 wild-card win over the Patriots. He completed a 4-yard pass to tight end MyCole Pruitt on the eighth play of the Titans’ opening drive. Coming in for one play and one throw isn’t what the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner had been used to, having started 61 of 63 games since being drafted out of Oregon.

“It’s different for me for sure, but I appreciate the fact that I get to be out there with the guys,” Mariota said. “Every single time, every single moment that you’re on the field I never take it for granted.”

And he might have scored against Baltimore last week in the divisional round if only Derrick Henry hadn’t thrown into triple coverage to Corey Davis with his jump pass. Mariota was wide open pm the right, but Davis always was the intended target.

Mariota earned $20.9 million this season with the Titans picking up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. With Tannehill and the Titans thriving together, Mariota will be a free agent March 18 with a new team in his future. Mariota says he’s focusing only on one day at a time.

“If I can just be present here and help our guys out, help this team out, everything else will fall into place,” he said.