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The Athletic (paywall)

The Commanders told Marcus Mariota, ‘Be you.’ It helped change his career

For much of his time in the NFL, Mariota endured an overwhelming anxiety born from a chase for perfection and an identity carved around the game. Football was both a blessing and a burden, turning his career into a roller coaster that only began to slow when he became a Commander in 2024.

But this Sunday, when he makes his second consecutive start for Washington in place of Jayden Daniels, who is recovering from a knee sprain, Mariota will confront another uncomfortable stop from his past and try to find that same joy in a place that ended with very little: Atlanta.

Mariota credits the “culture” in Washington for restoring his love of football when, previously, t

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