Falcons Officially Name Desmond Ridder Starter, Marcus Mariota Likely Headed To IR

On Monday, Falcons HC Arthur Smith confirmed reports from last week and officially named rookie QB Desmond Ridder the team’s starter. 

“Desmond Ridder will start at quarterback. It’s a performance based decision,” Smith said of the decision, per Josh Kendall. 

Marcus Mariota is getting his knee looked at and Smith said he anticipates Mariota being placed on injured reserve. However, they will have to see how things progress from here. 

Atlanta signed QB Logan Woodside off of the Titans’ practice squad last week to serve as a backup if needed.  

Mariota, 29, is a former No. 2 overall pick of the Titans back in 2015. He signed a four-year, $24.214 million rookie contract that was fully guaranteed.

The Titans picked up Mariota’s fifth-year option worth $20.922 million for the 2019 season. They declined to re-sign him as an unrestricted free agent after he lost the starting job, though, and he ultimately agreed to a two-year contract with the Raiders worth $17.6 million. 

After playing out his deal in Las Vegas, Mariota signed a two-year deal with the Falcons in 2022. 

In 2022, Mariota has started 13 games for the Falcons and completed 61.3 percent of his passes for 2,219 yards receiving, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions to go along with 438 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

Ridder, 23, was a four-year starter at Cincinnati and quarterbacked the school to a berth in the College Football Playoff in 2021, the first time ever a non-Power 5 school had earned that distinction. The Falcons used the No. 74 overall pick in the third round on him in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Ridder signed a four-year $5,362,959 contract that includes a $1,080,334 signing bonus with the Falcons. 

During his four-year college career, Ridder completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 10,239 yards (7.9 YPA), 87 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. He also rushed 501 times for 2,180 yards and 28 additional touchdowns.