Marcus Mariota is facing a pretty serious elbow injury.
Mariota has a pinched nerve in his elbow, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. Rapoport says the Tennessee Titans quarterback still has not regained complete feeling in his fingers.
#Titans QB Marcus Mariota, who is dealing with a pinched nerve in his elbow, still has not regained complete feeling in his fingers, sources say. He’s going to try to play, but there is no telling how he’ll respond. That’s why Blaine Gabbert is expected to rotate in.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 16, 2018
ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds that Mariota still isn’t able to grip the ball normally.
A Titans’ source said Saturday night that the team still had not decided who would start at quarterback Sunday vs Texans, Marcus Mariota or Blaine Gabbert.
Another source said it is “likely a game-time decision, but (Mariota) still isn’t able to grip the ball normally.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 16, 2018
Though it’s unclear whether this will be a long-term issue for Mariota, having trouble gripping a ball due to a pinched nerve suggests it will be difficult for Mariota to play in Tennessee’s Week 2 game against Houston. Titans head coach Mike Vrabel has said he expects to play both Mariota and backup Blaine Gabbert during the game.
Mariota suffered the injury when he was hit on an RPO play in Week 1 against the Dolphins.
