We may not have seen the last of Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota this season after all.
Despite numerous reports earlier in the day that the 22-year-old signal caller was done for the year with a sprained right MCL, Tennessee interim head coach Mike Mularkey suggested otherwise on Monday. While Mularkey did confirm that Mariota is out for Week 16 against the Houston Texans, he left open the possibility that the rookie could return under center for the team’s Week 17 finale against the Indianapolis Colts, saying “I just told you from a real source.”
Mularkey on numerous national reports of Mariota being out for season: "I just told you from a real source." @Titans
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) December 21, 2015
Mike Mularkey says Marcus Mariota is out this week, leaves the door open for him to play Week 17 if he's cleared.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 21, 2015
“He will be out this week and be evaluated again the start of next week,” Mularkey said per Jason Wolf of the Tennessean. “It’s basically the same injury as the other knee, but less serious.”
Mariota sprained the knee on a sack by Jamie Collins in Sunday’s 33-16 loss to the New England Patriots. He suffered a Grade-2 MCL sprain in his left knee on a hit by Olivier Vernon in the Titans’ Week 6 loss to the Dolphins (video here), an injury that kept him out of the lineup for two games.
Mariota, the former Heisman Trophy winner, has thrown for 2,818 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, completing 62.2 percent of his passes while also throwing 10 interceptions. He has also added 252 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns (with the help of big runs like these) for the 3-11 Titans.
With the Titans tied for the worst record in the NFL, however, and now just playing for the No. 1 overall draft pick next April, the team may still ultimately decide against trotting their prized rookie quarterback out there in an inconsequential game.
H/T Rotoworld
