Marcus Mariota: The Heisman
The first Oregon player, the first Polynesian, and the first player from Hawaii to win the Heisman Trophy. December 13, 2014.
The backup job turned into the starting job fast. Mariota re-signed with Washington in March on a one-year deal, and when Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow on the last play of the first half in Week 2 at Dallas, Mariota came in and went 11 of 16 for 111 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown to Stefon Diggs, in a 37-20 loss. Washington named him a captain on Sept 26, and in his first start the next day he beat Seattle 33-31, going 19 of 31 for 183 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, then ran 9 yards on third-and-7 with 1:36 left so Washington could kneel it out. In his second start, against the Colts in London on Oct 4, he went 3 of 4 for 46 yards and ran once for 35 before he was hurt on a first-quarter sack; rookie Athan Kaliakmanis finished the 30-13 loss. Dan Quinn said Oct 5 that it is a sprained MCL in his right knee and that the timetable for his return is uncertain, (ESPN, Oct 5). On Oct 9 Washington ruled Mariota out of the Oct 11 game against the Giants (Commanders, via NBC Sports Rotoworld, Oct 9), and Daniels, back from the elbow injury, started it: 17 of 25 for 199 yards, plus 103 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, in a 27-27 overtime tie (ESPN box score, Oct 11). Mariota did not play, which leaves him at 33 of 51 for 340 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. He is no stranger to this: in 2025 he started eight games while Daniels was hurt.
2014 Heisman season
Passing: 254-of-372, 3,783 yards, 38 TDs, 2 INTs. Rushing: 669 yards, 14 TDs. Completion rate: 68.3%. Led the nation in TDs, passing efficiency, and total offense (4,452 yards).
Awards: Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year.
Vote: 2,534 points. 90.92% of possible points (fourth highest in Heisman history, behind Joe Burrow, Reggie Bush and Troy Smith). 788 of 891 first-place votes.
Heisman Finalists
Mariota's acceptance speech was famously humble. He held back tears and said: 'I am humbled to be standing here today. To Hawaii nei, thank you for teaching me humility and respect. Two aspects of my life that I will never change.' Then he turned to the Polynesian community: 'I hope and pray that this is only the beginning. Young Poly athletes everywhere, you should take this as motivation, and dream big and strive for greatness.' He was the first Oregon player and the first player born in Hawaii to win the Heisman. He gave the speech draped in leis. Reporters who covered him said he was 'next to unquotable after games' because he always redirected praise to teammates. The quiet ones always hit different.
Season by season
Career totals
131 regular season touchdowns (101 passing, 28 rushing, 2 receiving). Just 23 (12 INTs, 11 fumbles lost). TD-to-INT ratio: 8.4:1 (best in career history at the time).
Including the postseason: 10,796 passing yards, 105 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions -- both Oregon career records, and they include bowl and playoff games, which the regular-season table above does not.
Oregon Athletics; Heisman.com. Verified Sept 6, 2026.
Only player in FBS history to throw 30+ TD passes as a freshman, sophomore, and junior.
Key Games
Career Highlights
NFL
#2 overall pick, 2015 NFL Draft, Tennessee Titans. NFL journey: Titans (2015-2019), Las Vegas Raiders (2020-2021), Atlanta Falcons (2022), Philadelphia Eagles (2023), and the Washington Commanders, where he re-signed in March 2026 on a one-year deal as the veteran backup to Jayden Daniels and started two games in September and October 2026 after Daniels dislocated his left elbow in Week 2, winning the first, before a sprained right MCL in London on Oct 4 sent him back to the backup role. Highest-drafted Duck since George Shaw went No. 1 overall in 1955. First start: 4 TDs, perfect 158.3 passer rating vs Tampa Bay (first QB in NFL history to do that in a debut).
Frequently Asked Questions
Marcus Mariota won the Heisman Trophy in 2014, Oregon's only Heisman winner. He received 90.92% of the vote, then the second-highest share in Heisman history; it ranks fourth now, behind Joe Burrow (2019), Reggie Bush (2005, reinstated in 2024) and Troy Smith (2006). That season he had 53 total touchdowns and just 2 interceptions.
Mariota received 90.92% of the possible points in the 2014 Heisman balloting. He won by one of the largest margins in history, receiving 2,534 total points. The margin was so dominant it was effectively unanimous.
Mariota scored 131 touchdowns in regular-season play at Oregon (101 passing, 28 rushing, 2 receiving), and his official Oregon career records, which include bowl and playoff games, are 10,796 passing yards and 105 touchdown passes. His 2014 season alone produced 53 total touchdowns with just 2 interceptions. His TD-to-INT ratio of 8.4:1 (best in career history at the time) remains among the best in college football history.
The Tennessee Titans selected Mariota with the #2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He is the highest-drafted Oregon player since George Shaw went No. 1 overall in 1955. In his first NFL start, he threw 4 TDs with a perfect 158.3 passer rating against Tampa Bay.
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