NFL #ProDucks Spotlight: Marcus Mariota
10/01/26 | Football
Week three of the NFL season was huge for former Ducks, yet no performance felt more special than that of Oregon's former Heisman Trophy winner.Â
Week two saw Washington Commanders' starting quarterback Jayden Daniels go down with an elbow injury. Marcus Mariota delivered a vintage performance, stepping up to the challenge of leading his team despite not being the full-time starter.Â
"You never know when your number is going to get called" Mariota said. "Guys have done an unbelievable job of being ready."Â
Mariota got his first start of the season in week three against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks. The Commanders, seeking their first win of the season, were in for a tough matchup.Â
Mariota got his team on the board early in the first quarter after the Commanders' defense recovered a fumble at the Seahawks' 20-yard line. Mariota stepped up and delivered a six-yard pass to Rachaad White to put Washington ahead early.Â
The Seahawks quickly responded, driving down the field for a touchdown. Mariota and the Commanders answered, driving 60 yards on eight plays and capping off the drive with a touchdown strike to Treylon Burks to take the lead.Â
Mariota noted that the play "was something that game plan-wise our coaches thought we might have a shot at, and it just ended up being the perfect look."Â
The Commanders' defense recorded another takeaway, picking off the Seahawks near the 45-yard line. Three plays later, Mariota delivered once again, throwing a 30-yard dime to Terry McLaurin for a touchdown.Â
"If it's one-on-one, I'm going to take my shot with Terry every time," Mariota said. "He made an unbelievable catch there."Â
The Seahawks did not quit, battling back to tie the game before a field goal and a pick-six from the Washington defense put the Commanders up by two scores.Â
Mariota's marquee moment of the game came with 1:36 left to play in the fourth quarter, with Washington up by two points. On third down with seven yards to go, Washington ran a run-pass option play. Mariota kept it himself, diving toward the first-down marker, Oregon style, for a nine-yard gain to clinch the game for the Commanders. Â
Â
MARCUS MARIOTA ??
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) September 27, 2026
Another game clincher by a Duck as Mariota, Josh Conerly Jr. and the @Commanders knock off the reigning Super Bowl champions!#ProDucks x @MM8Foundation pic.twitter.com/I797SbIUFI
Â
"We really hadn't had much of it, and I thought it was just a good wrinkle at the end" said Mariota. "Coach (David Blough) did a great job of calling that and giving me a shot."Â
The Commanders snapped the Seahawks' 12-game winning streak dating back to last season and got themselves in the win column for the first time this year.Â
The former Duck continues to impact the game at the highest level, dating all the way back to his Oregon days. "You never understand truly how much you impact those around you. And I've always tried to be myself. I've always felt like the more that I can serve others and be there for my team, the better the team's going to be."Â
Mariota and the Commanders take the field in London against the Colts on Sunday on NFL Network at 6:30 a.m. (PT).Â
