October 23, 2025 • 7 mins
QB Marcus Mariota speaks to the media after today's practice.
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm good. Good.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Spoke to a couple guys in the locker room and said,
things have felt different today, just energy higher. As you
guys are kind of going through this period of adversity,
how do you expect your guys to respond to those
challenges this.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Week exactly how they did today, with energy, with enthusiasm.
We have, like I said after the game, we have
the right guys in the locker room and truly believe
in what we're building here. And it's the NFL. You're
going to kind of go through these valleys and at
the end of the day, we have the guys in
there to climb out of it, and I'm fortunate to
(00:36):
be a part of it.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
You've played Monday night. I believe it in Kansas City,
don't if it's still Arrowhead, But what is that environment
like and what challenges is that pose?
Speaker 1 (00:45):
I love playing there. It's such a fun atmosphere. The
fans are great, it's loud, and I truly enjoy it.
And at the end of the day, like it's going
to come down to us being able to communicate. It
is a tough environment, but at the same time, that's
what you play for. You love these moments you love
these atmospheres and I'm really looking forward to it.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
And Mark, it's just a quick piggyback off of that.
You've had some success playing at Arrowhead. What's allowed for
you to be successful there and what do you love
about it?
Speaker 1 (01:15):
First and foremost, I just love the atmosphere. It reminds
me a lot of college. I love playing on the road.
I think kind of that us versus everybody mentality is
something that I really feel like I've thrived on in
my career. But I just again, I love playing Aarrowhead.
I actually have family there, so I do get to
see some family. And at the end of the day,
(01:35):
when it comes down to it, it is a tough
place to play. But as long as you get everybody
going on the same page and you're communicating, you know it,
it allows you to be able to execute and do
what you need to do.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
DQ spoke a lot about this team refocusing itself and
finding and establishing its identity, said that a lot of
that comes from the leaders in that locker room. How
do you help this team center its identity?
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Well, when it comes down to it, it's looking at
each other and doing what you preach. We talk about brotherhood.
We talk about the culture and right now it's being challenged,
and I think our guys are willing to step up
to that challenge. But it's not just something that you're
going to kind of like quietly talk about over here
(02:22):
or kind of quietly do over here. It really comes
down to everyone just coming together. And like I said,
we have a bunch of guys that have been in
these scenarios before, have been in these situations, have played
a lot of football, and really when it comes down
to it, just leaning in on that experience and believing
in one another. And I think, like I said, we
(02:42):
have the guys in that locker room to do that.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
In what ways does it help your preparation when Jaden
is declared out kind of early in the week and
you know, going into the first practice of the week,
Wednesday practice of the week that you're going to be
the guy, you.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Know, honestly, for me, it doesn't change a whole lot.
I really try to prepare like I'm the starter every week,
and I try to do all the mental reps now
more so I'm getting just more physical reps than I
am the mental part of it. But I try not
to change my process through the week, just because I
feel like, as long as I got my process, I
(03:19):
can lean on that whether I'm playing or not. And
it's worked well for me over the course the last
couple of years, just being around Cliff and Tavita and
the rest of the offensive staff, like, I feel really
confident in the way that we prepare and I just
go about it the same way.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
And between last year and this year, James missed a
couple of games here and there. What's he like in
the quarterback room, in the meeting room, out on the
practice field, when he's out there with you guys, when
he's when he's injured and he's not the.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Starter, great support system man, he just as much involved
as if you were playing. And I truly appreciate that
about him, whether he's he's talking about things that he's
seeing on tape, or whether he's getting a tidbit here
and there from guys maybe he's reached out to Like
all the information that he gathers during the course of
a week, he shares with us whether he's playing or not,
(04:08):
and I appreciate that about him. I think that's what
makes him different than a lot of people, is his
ability just to stay engaged whether he's playing or not.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
Marcus, I know the answer is probably obvious, but I
need to hear it from you. Having Terry and Deebo back.
What does that do for a quarterback, especially being on
the road against a really good defense.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Well, it's fun to have him out there a practice
first and foremost. Those guys are not only unbelievab football players,
but they're great leaders. And when you go through these
kind of adverse situations and you're kind of going and
dealing with these values as a team, it's nice to
kind of get a spark with those guys coming back
out on the field. So nice having them around. Will
(04:49):
hopefully continue to see as they trend towards the game,
but it's for me, it's nice to throw those guys
for sure.
Speaker 5 (04:56):
Said postgame that you wanted to check on Jaden after
the injury, just to see how his mental was. And
you've gone through this yourself, the unique pressures that are
on a young quarterback that's viewed this franchise guy that's
going to turn things around. How does one compartmentalize all
of that pressure that's on you on a daily basis
(05:18):
as you try to learn how to become a quarterback
in this sleep.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Yeah, I'm gonna be completely honest with you. I didn't
do a very good job of it when I was
in Tennessee. And for me, like I wanted to be
able to provide, Jay would just hey man, I've been
there before. I understand the frustration and sometimes just not
even just talking. It's just like I'll sit here all
day with you at the in the locker room and
just kind of be there and be a presence for him.
(05:43):
So at the end of the day, like it is
tough when you are brought in to be that guy,
I think the pressures and the challenges that come with
that is a privilege, but it is something that I
think is very unique and something that you're maybe not
used to. And the more that I can just continue
(06:04):
to be there for him and help him through these
situations and even like right now, just kind of getting
our guys ready to roll and hopefully when he gets back,
he's ready to roll. There's momentum and we got a
spark and we're playing well. So it's just things like
that where hey man, you're not in this alone and
just making sure he understands that. And the more that
he can kind of lean into all of us as
(06:26):
a team. I think the better he'll feel, the healthier
he'll feel, and when he's ready to come back, he'll
be good to go.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
He's coming off a couple of pretty good defensive performances,
including a shutout. What do you see from them on tape?
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Yeah, And it's so interesting because when I was at
the Titans, I Platt against bags and that's I mean,
he's been there for a long time. And what's cool
just from an observer froim and just watching tape of them,
like they just have so many interchangeable hearts where they
can get guys that maybe played safety in college, I
played linebacker. Then they can kind of move around and
(07:05):
maybe he plays in the post, maybe he's playing in
the box, you know. So they do a great job
of just kind of creating different and unique looks. And
then on top of that, when you got good players,
when you guys got you know, guys like Chris Chris
Jones up front McDuffie and those guys like when they're
rolling too, they're playing great. But it's a very unique
challenge and one that it's kind of funny, Like I
(07:27):
can even go look back in my notes from almost
ten years ago, and like he's he's completely changed on
how he does it. And the challenge that it poses
to us is like it's so unique kind of year
to year, maybe even game to game, so for us
being able to communicate and just getting everybody on the
same page that way, at the end of the day,
(07:48):
we can just go out there and execute what our
plan is. Awesome, guys, thank you, have a good day.
I'm good. Good.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Spoke to a couple guys in the locker room and said,
things have felt different today, just energy higher. As you
guys are kind of going through this period of adversity,
how do you expect your guys to respond to those
challenges this.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Week exactly how they did today, with energy, with enthusiasm.
We have, like I said after the game, we have
the right guys in the locker room and truly believe
in what we're building here. And it's the NFL. You're
going to kind of go through these valleys and at
the end of the day, we have the guys in
there to climb out of it, and I'm fortunate to
(00:36):
be a part of it.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
You've played Monday night. I believe it in Kansas City,
don't if it's still Arrowhead, But what is that environment
like and what challenges is that pose?
Speaker 1 (00:45):
I love playing there. It's such a fun atmosphere. The
fans are great, it's loud, and I truly enjoy it.
And at the end of the day, like it's going
to come down to us being able to communicate. It
is a tough environment, but at the same time, that's
what you play for. You love these moments you love
these atmospheres and I'm really looking forward to it.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
And Mark, it's just a quick piggyback off of that.
You've had some success playing at Arrowhead. What's allowed for
you to be successful there and what do you love
about it?
Speaker 1 (01:15):
First and foremost, I just love the atmosphere. It reminds
me a lot of college. I love playing on the road.
I think kind of that us versus everybody mentality is
something that I really feel like I've thrived on in
my career. But I just again, I love playing Aarrowhead.
I actually have family there, so I do get to
see some family. And at the end of the day,
(01:35):
when it comes down to it, it is a tough
place to play. But as long as you get everybody
going on the same page and you're communicating, you know it,
it allows you to be able to execute and do
what you need to do.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
DQ spoke a lot about this team refocusing itself and
finding and establishing its identity, said that a lot of
that comes from the leaders in that locker room. How
do you help this team center its identity?
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Well, when it comes down to it, it's looking at
each other and doing what you preach. We talk about brotherhood.
We talk about the culture and right now it's being challenged,
and I think our guys are willing to step up
to that challenge. But it's not just something that you're
going to kind of like quietly talk about over here
(02:22):
or kind of quietly do over here. It really comes
down to everyone just coming together. And like I said,
we have a bunch of guys that have been in
these scenarios before, have been in these situations, have played
a lot of football, and really when it comes down
to it, just leaning in on that experience and believing
in one another. And I think, like I said, we
(02:42):
have the guys in that locker room to do that.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
In what ways does it help your preparation when Jaden
is declared out kind of early in the week and
you know, going into the first practice of the week,
Wednesday practice of the week that you're going to be
the guy, you.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Know, honestly, for me, it doesn't change a whole lot.
I really try to prepare like I'm the starter every week,
and I try to do all the mental reps now
more so I'm getting just more physical reps than I
am the mental part of it. But I try not
to change my process through the week, just because I
feel like, as long as I got my process, I
(03:19):
can lean on that whether I'm playing or not. And
it's worked well for me over the course the last
couple of years, just being around Cliff and Tavita and
the rest of the offensive staff, like, I feel really
confident in the way that we prepare and I just
go about it the same way.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
And between last year and this year, James missed a
couple of games here and there. What's he like in
the quarterback room, in the meeting room, out on the
practice field, when he's out there with you guys, when
he's when he's injured and he's not the.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Starter, great support system man, he just as much involved
as if you were playing. And I truly appreciate that
about him, whether he's he's talking about things that he's
seeing on tape, or whether he's getting a tidbit here
and there from guys maybe he's reached out to Like
all the information that he gathers during the course of
a week, he shares with us whether he's playing or not,
(04:08):
and I appreciate that about him. I think that's what
makes him different than a lot of people, is his
ability just to stay engaged whether he's playing or not.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
Marcus, I know the answer is probably obvious, but I
need to hear it from you. Having Terry and Deebo back.
What does that do for a quarterback, especially being on
the road against a really good defense.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Well, it's fun to have him out there a practice
first and foremost. Those guys are not only unbelievab football players,
but they're great leaders. And when you go through these
kind of adverse situations and you're kind of going and
dealing with these values as a team, it's nice to
kind of get a spark with those guys coming back
out on the field. So nice having them around. Will
(04:49):
hopefully continue to see as they trend towards the game,
but it's for me, it's nice to throw those guys
for sure.
Speaker 5 (04:56):
Said postgame that you wanted to check on Jaden after
the injury, just to see how his mental was. And
you've gone through this yourself, the unique pressures that are
on a young quarterback that's viewed this franchise guy that's
going to turn things around. How does one compartmentalize all
of that pressure that's on you on a daily basis
(05:18):
as you try to learn how to become a quarterback
in this sleep.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Yeah, I'm gonna be completely honest with you. I didn't
do a very good job of it when I was
in Tennessee. And for me, like I wanted to be
able to provide, Jay would just hey man, I've been
there before. I understand the frustration and sometimes just not
even just talking. It's just like I'll sit here all
day with you at the in the locker room and
just kind of be there and be a presence for him.
(05:43):
So at the end of the day, like it is
tough when you are brought in to be that guy,
I think the pressures and the challenges that come with
that is a privilege, but it is something that I
think is very unique and something that you're maybe not
used to. And the more that I can just continue
(06:04):
to be there for him and help him through these
situations and even like right now, just kind of getting
our guys ready to roll and hopefully when he gets back,
he's ready to roll. There's momentum and we got a
spark and we're playing well. So it's just things like
that where hey man, you're not in this alone and
just making sure he understands that. And the more that
he can kind of lean into all of us as
(06:26):
a team. I think the better he'll feel, the healthier
he'll feel, and when he's ready to come back, he'll
be good to go.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
He's coming off a couple of pretty good defensive performances,
including a shutout. What do you see from them on tape?
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Yeah, And it's so interesting because when I was at
the Titans, I Platt against bags and that's I mean,
he's been there for a long time. And what's cool
just from an observer froim and just watching tape of them,
like they just have so many interchangeable hearts where they
can get guys that maybe played safety in college, I
played linebacker. Then they can kind of move around and
(07:05):
maybe he plays in the post, maybe he's playing in
the box, you know. So they do a great job
of just kind of creating different and unique looks. And
then on top of that, when you got good players,
when you guys got you know, guys like Chris Chris
Jones up front McDuffie and those guys like when they're
rolling too, they're playing great. But it's a very unique
challenge and one that it's kind of funny, Like I
(07:27):
can even go look back in my notes from almost
ten years ago, and like he's he's completely changed on
how he does it. And the challenge that it poses
to us is like it's so unique kind of year
to year, maybe even game to game, so for us
being able to communicate and just getting everybody on the
same page that way, at the end of the day,
(07:48):
we can just go out there and execute what our
plan is. Awesome, guys, thank you, have a good day.
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