Marcus Mariota has heartfelt reaction to clutch performance in Commanders win

He's a Heisman Trophy winner, a PAC-12 Champion, a Unanimous All-American and a Rose Bowl winner. He's played in the National Football League for 11 seasons and earned $83 million in his career.

Marcus Mariota has been celebrated as the Greatest of All Time and written off as a bust. He's been a starter and a benchwarmer, a No. 1 draft pick, the face of the franchise and a mop-up QB.

So it was pretty satisfying for him on Sunday when Jayden Daniels sat out with a knee strain and Mariota got the call to run the Commanders offense, leading them to a 41-27 victory., throwing for 207 yards and a touchdown, running for another.

Fox sideline reporter Jennifer Hale caught him in the raw emotion of the moment. "First of all God is good," Mariota said, his voice straining a little.

"This means a lot to me, It was awesome. This is such a good group of guys that were dedicated to doing their best and executing. It was fun to be a part of today."

Maligned in Tennessee and not always surrounded with the best talent as a pro, in his 11th year in the league Oregon's all-time passing leader is finally in a culture that supports his talent and his genuine values. It was nice to see him enjoy a moment of redemption.

Washington plays at Atlanta next Sunday, the morning game on CBS. Daniels underwent an MRI and he's questionable with the knee sprain, though doctors have ruled out an MCL tear. The team appears ready to take it slow with him, meaning MM may start for another week.

They're 3.5-point favorites against the Falcons, 1-2 this season. Last week they benched former Washington Husky quarterback Michael Penix during a 30-0 loss to the Panthers. Penix went 18-36 passing for 172 yards and no touchdowns, two interceptions, in need of a redemption arc of his own.

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