South Gwinnett News

Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Art Smith has complete confidence in quarterback Marcus Mariota as he joins the team as Matt Ryan’s replacement.

In a report from March 24, Smith told the Atlanta Falcons Marcus is an exciting and smart football player, emphasizing his excitement to prove himself with Atlanta.

"I trust Marcus," Smith told the Atlanta Falcons. "He's going to come in here, and he's going to give us everything he's got. He's got high-end talent, and he understands what's happened in the past. He's learned from them, I've learned from them, and we feel excited about the opportunity."

According to the report, the Falcons signed the 28-year-old Mariota to a two-year deal and have quickly installed him as the replacement for the departed Ryan.

In a 2018 playoff win over the Kansas City Chiefs, Mariota threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns in the 22-21 win. In 2019, Mariota found himself on the bench in favor of Ryan Tannehill and has been a backup ever since, the report states. The quarterback spent the last two years with the Las Vegas Raiders behind Derek Carr.

Mariota's arrival to the team reunites him with Coach Smith after the two spent time together in Tennessee, the Falcons report. 

“He's at a different point of his career from where he was at then. I'm at a different point in my career. A lot of lessons learned, and we're excited to work together again,” Smith told the Atlanta Falcons.