Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota will miss the remainder of the preseason after suffering a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee, coach Dan Quinn confirmed Sunday. Quinn said he remains optimistic that the veteran backup will be available for Washington’s regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 13.
Mariota sustained the injury during Friday’s 20-7 preseason victory over the Miami Dolphins. He played only four snaps before leaving after a play in which he completed a pass to Dyami Brown and was subsequently hit by Dolphins linebacker Tyrel Dodson. Mariota went to the medical tent for evaluation before heading to the locker room.
The 32-year-old Mariota is entering his third season with Washington and remains the primary backup to starting quarterback Jayden Daniels. He re-signed with the Commanders in March on a one-year contract worth $7 million. Last season, Mariota appeared in 11 games and made eight starts, completing 139 of 227 passes for 1,695 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions while adding 297 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
With Mariota sidelined, Washington is expected to give increased preseason opportunities to Sam Hartman and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis. The Commanders have preseason games remaining against the Detroit Lions on Aug. 22 and Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 28, though Quinn indicated the team does not currently expect Mariota to participate in either game.
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