Dan Quinn says he has learned from watching Marcus Mariota.
Friday, during his press conference with the media, the Washington Commanders head coach was asked about Mariota being here for both of his seasons and what he (Quinn) might have learned in this process.
Quinn responded, “I think I’ve learned about leading from him. When to lean in, when to watch, when to give support. He’s very thoughtful.” Noting how he has observed Mariota sometimes speaking up, sometimes choosing to watch, sometimes choosing to have another player push into that space.
“I think the work ethic, the perseverance is what I’ve learned about him. He’s dealt with injuries, with setbacks. His attitude, he is so consistent in what he does, the approach, it just doesn’t waver. That’s something I really respect about him.”
Mariota replaced Daniels in two games (Panthers, at Cowboys) during the 2024 season. In both games, he performed quite well. The first was a very easy, significant win over the Panthers. However, the second game was a tight contest where he led the team down the field to a last-second, come-from-behind touchdown to secure the win.
Last week, against the Raiders, Mariota got his first start for the Quinn coaching staff here in Washington. Quinn said coaches assured Mariota he didn’t need to press to be Daniels, but simply “be you, that is more than enough.” “You don’t have to over try or put an extra spot on it, so I was very proud of him for that.”
Laremy Tunsil has full confidence that Marcus Mariota will do “the same S**** he did last week” and help the Commanders to another good performance.@DCNewsNowpic.twitter.com/q5ckRwVIcW
— Alex Flum (@AlexFlumTV) September 26, 2025
Quinn conveyed that he has observed a strength in Mariota’s ability to share perspectives and experiences with his peers. He referenced a moment from last year’s game against Atlanta, when the NFL highlighted a one-on-one interaction between Jayden Daniels and Mariota that Quinn felt was impactful. For those remembering, Mariota was assuring Daniels while also challenging Daniels.
That had been the primary role. But life brings unexpected bumps in the road, sudden sharp turns. Thus, Mariota is now starting for the second consecutive week, and it will be up to Daniels to recognize and accept the change in his role this week.
Change is the law of human existence; it is always coming. You don’t know when or how it will occur. Mariota evidently has learned from some very negative NFL experiences elsewhere and, as a result, is leading and adapting really well for the Commanders.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Dan Quinn says he’s learned from Marcus Mariota
