Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota addressed the media after practice on Oct. 23. Here is a full transcript of the press conference.
On what it's like being the starting quarterback for the first time this season:
"Yeah, I just take it one day at a time, honestly. I think when we came in the spring, having the opportunity to get reps with the ones has helped me kind of in this transition. But again, we're just taking it day by day. We'll see how Jay [QB Jayden Daniels] feels throughout the week. But yeah, like you said, nothing new to me."
On what he wants to build on this week after watching the film:
"Well, I think for us, just, I thought the entire group executed well. It's never easy when the starting quarterback goes down, so it's really a collective effort from everybody to step their games up and our guys unfazed and going into this week just trying to prepare and be ready to go if I am called upon. But I think our guys do a great job of helping that transition."
On if he has talked to Daniels to help him through this experience:
"I think first and foremost, just being smart and understanding what's most important. I think early on in my career, you get very worked up about, I gotta play this week, I gotta play this week. Sometimes it's focusing on your health in the long term. So, if it gets to that point and he doesn't feel like he's ready to roll, I'm here to help kind of that. And I want him to understand that and feel comfortable with that. And also, I think it's us as a quarterback room to make sure that if he's not getting the amount of reps that he usually gets through the week, helping him get those reps in the quarterback room, helping him manage that so that if his number is called and he is playing on Sunday, that he's ready to roll too. So, I think it's just a collective group. It's one of those things that happens in the course of a regular season, and we just all are going to work together to make sure that whoever is playing on Sunday is successful."
On what he felt best about after watching the film:
"Well, I really believe that our guys made my job pretty easy [laugh]. Those guys were finding zones getting open, creating [plays] I think has been huge for us. So really for me, I just try to play my game. Playing on time, but also having opportunities to extend and create plays, that makes it tough on a defense. So, the more that I can balance that out and play within that realm, I think we'll be fine."
On what is different during the week because of the potential start change:
"I think you said it best. It's just little things, right? It's sitting here talking to you guys. Maybe it's a question or I get maybe five minutes a week with somebody, whereas now, there's a kind of specific moment. So, those things are a little different in the routine. But for the most part I'm just tryna focus on what my weekly routine is, continue to do that and let kind of everything else fall into place and be ready to play on Sunday."
On the possibility of playing again on Sunday:
"Yeah, I think looking back on the game, just to get the opportunity to play was fun, was exciting. If my name is called again, that's just kind of how I'm going to approach it. Throughout my career, I've put a lot of pressure on myself to be perfect and I think I play my best when I'm enjoying it and having fun. So that's kind of how I've approached it maybe the last couple years and whatever happens, happens. But I think for the most part it's just focusing on what I can control and not worrying about everything else."
On how Daniels has approached his first injury at the professional level:
"Oh, he's handled it unbelievably. I mean I think every test that he's gotten he's passed with flying colors, right? And this is no different. He's in here early, he's in here the whole time just getting treatment. He's doing his best to give himself a shot to play, and I think he deserves a lot of credit for that. There's a lot of guys that I've been around for the course of my career where I don't feel great, I might just kind of take the week off, but he's very engaged in this. He's very invested and the way he's approached it is very much similar to how he's approached week by week. And I think it's a lot of credit to him and who he is. And again, it's going to take all of us in the quarterback room to make sure whatever or whoever it is, is ready to roll."
On what the Chicago Bears defense does well:
"Very sound. There's a couple guys that I've played throughout my career that are really good players. [Chicago Bears CB] Kyler Gordon's unbelievable, probably one of the better positional slot defenders in the league. I've got a lot of respect for [Chicago Bears S] Kevin Byard, somebody that I played with for a long time. Very rangy guy, but also comes in the box and makes a bunch of tackles and then obviously [Chicago Bears DE Montez] Sweat who's played here. I mean, just a tremendous athlete, somebody that really can affect the game by the way he passed rushes. So, at every kind of level of the defense they've got guys. It's going to be a challenge, but I think for us, again, it's about us. It's about focusing on what we do, and we're excited for the challenge of Sunday and can't wait to see what it looks like."
On conversations with Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury about any concepts he'd prefer to work towards for Sunday:
"Yes, I think that's what's really unique with Kliff, is he sits down regardless of the starter or kind of down the line, and he wants to know what you like, how you see it. If you don't like this play, we'll get it out. That type of thing. And it doesn't, it is regardless of if you're the starter or not, which I think is very unique and that gives whoever is playing the ultimate confidence, just go out there and play because he is going to call the game. And I really believe that's how it was for me on Sunday and when I was out there and he's calling it, he had such a good feel of what I liked and just kind of let me play. So, it's a lot of credit to him and the staff for making sure that whoever is out there, they're playing with confidence."
On the collaboration between all the quarterbacks to find the right strategy:
"Well, really it comes down to just, 'Hey, how, how are you guys seeing it?' There might be a way that Kliff and [Quarterbacks Coach] Tavita [Pritchard] and [Assistant Quarterbacks Coach David] Blough want to play to or is designed to do, but we may see it a little differently. And just being able to communicate that across the board and then allowing whoever is playing, if it with Jay, just to kind of feel comfortable with what he's seeing. So, it's a collaborative effort in order to make sure that Jay's feeling comfortable with what he's seeing. And then from there, if he's not, if he's like, 'I don't really like it', then Kliff and those guys are able to just kind of action it out and move on. So, there's not a rigid, 'Hey, this is what we're gonna do'. It's very flexible, it's very collaborative and I really believe that's why whoever's in there has played well."
On a moment in his career where he released trying to be perfect all the time:
"Man, it's honestly been the last like six months [laugh]. And it's a credit to this staff and it's really, it's just enjoyable. It's a fun atmosphere to come into, but it's very much like, 'Hey, do what you do. You don't have to be Jayden, you don't have to be [QB] Jeff [Driskel], you don't have to be anybody. You just be you and play your way and we'll find ways to make it work.' So that's really for me, kind of a unique situation that maybe I haven't been accustomed to. So, I've really enjoyed it and just had fun playing in this system."
On advice he can give to Daniels with his experience as a number two pick playing a number one pick:
"I mean, it really means nothing [laugh]. I was very naïve early on in my career and I was more just making sure guys were lining up right. I knew what the play was. I had the cadence on the right way. It's just little things like that. So, I wasn't really focused on what that looked like. And I think Jayden does a great job of kinda always being present. That's very unique for somebody his age. I think he's very much about the process and finding ways to get better, regardless of what the circumstance or situation is throughout the week. So, I gotta give credit to him for that because I know for me early on in my career, I was very much just trying to survive. I was just kind of treading water, so it's kind of cool to see a young guy be able to handle that."
On when his mindset shifted from wanting to play every week early in his career:
"It was probably when I was with the Raiders honestly and being around [New Orleans Saints QB] Derek [Carr] and understanding kind of durability. When I got there with Derek, I think he had a consecutive start streak, and it was very much about how he was taking care of his body day-to-day. When you're young and you're just kind of going out there, you don't even really think about those types of things. So, for me, if someone was kind of sore, I was like, 'Oh, I'm okay. I can kind of manage it.' Whereas Derek was very adamant about, 'I gotta make sure I feel great.' So, being around him, I kind of took that and learned from it. And just making sure that at the end of the day, when you're out there you're trying to perform your best not only for yourself but for your guys. And you don't want to be the guy that kind of hampers it because you're trying to just manage an injury or manage something. So, learning that kind of later on in my career, I think it's important because it means a lot to these guys day in and day out and you don't want to be kind of the guy that's holding people back."
On if he thinks this offensive system best fits him as a player:
"That's up for you guys to debate. I mean, I really believe throughout my journey I've learned so much about offensive football because of the amount of systems I've been in. So, regardless of if I felt I was suited for one or the other, I'm just very fortunate to be able to experience all those things and to have that kind of knowledge because I think it's really helped me become a better player. I really enjoy this system, it's a lot of fun to play in and, is it best suited for me? I don't know, but I do enjoy just kind of going out there and playing the way that we play. I gotta give a lot of credit to Kliff and those guys because they really make us feel very comfortable and confident at the position. And it's been enjoyable for me."
