Oregon Ducks Legend Gets Another NFL Start After Commanders QB News
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Arecognized No. 8 is getting another NFL stage.
Former Oregon Ducks star Marcus Mariota is set for his second consecutive start for the Washington Commanders after ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Friday morning that Jayden Daniels has officially been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts in London.
For Oregon fans, the injury news brings an additional chance to watch the program’s first Heisman Trophy winner command an NFL offense after one of his strongest performances in recent years. Mariota helped Washington upset the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks 33-31 in Week 3, giving the Commanders their first victory of the season.
The next assignment comes overseas at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Washington and Indianapolis kick off at 9:30 a.m. ET on Oct. 4.
Daniels returned to limited practice this week after dislocating his left elbow against the Dallas Cowboys, but Washington will give its franchise quarterback more time to recover.
Mariota Earns 2nd Start After 3-TD Performance
Mariota made the most of his first start of the 2026 season.
The 32-year-old completed 19 of 31 passes for 183 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions against Seattle. He also supplied a late 9-yard run for a first down that helped Washington close out the victory. The three-touchdown outing marked his first since the 2022 season.
Washington needed stability with Jayden Daniels sidelined, and Mariota provided it against one of the league’s hottest teams. Seattle entered the afternoon unbeaten, but the Commanders generated enough offense to survive a 33-31 finish.
There were signs throughout the afternoon that Mariota still had plenty left. Washington’s official website highlighted his ability to adjust within the offense, including a touchdown throw that developed differently from its original design. The veteran’s mobility also remains an element defenses have to respect, something that showed when his zone-read keeper helped ice the win.
Now the former Duck gets an opportunity to build on it. Indianapolis and Washington each enter the London matchup at 1-2, putting some early-season weight behind a game played thousands of miles from home.
Ducks Legend Still Adding to Remarkable Football Story
Long before Mariota became a veteran NFL quarterback, he built one of the most decorated careers in Oregon history.
Oregon inducted Mariota into its Athletics Hall of Fame in 2025 and describes him as the most decorated football player in program history. He became the Ducks’ first Heisman Trophy winner in 2014, led Oregon to the College Football Playoff national championship game and finished his career with 10,796 passing yards, 105 touchdown passes and 13,033 yards of total offense.
His final college season remains one of the defining quarterback campaigns in Eugene. Mariota threw for a school-record 4,454 yards and 42 touchdowns in 2014 while completing 68.5% of his passes. Oregon also routed Florida State in the Rose Bowl before falling to Ohio State in the national championship game.
More than a decade later, Mariota’s NFL journey has taken him through several organizations and multiple roles, from franchise starter to veteran backup. Sunday offers an extra memorable chapter.
Daniels remains Washington’s starter when healthy, but Mariota has already shown he can steady the offense when called upon. After beating the reigning champions, he takes that momentum to London with an opportunity to guide the Commanders back to .500.
For Oregon fans, that makes an early Sunday kickoff considerably more interesting. The most accomplished quarterback in Ducks history is back under center, this time on an international stage.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Oregon Ducks Legend Gets Another NFL Start After Commanders QB News appeared first on HEAVY.
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