TAMPA, Fla. – Marcus Mariota shuns comparisons to Jameis Winston, insisting a budding rivalry between the rookie quarterbacks is more about team success than individual play.
Well, one game into their pro careers, the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner has the upper hand in both after throwing four touchdown passes Sunday to lead the Tennessee Titans to a 42-14 season-opening victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The highly anticipated debuts for the first two players selected in this year’s draft was one-sided from the start, not unlike many of Mariota’s dazzling performances in college at Oregon.
Mariota threw for 209 yards without an interception to join Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton as the only players to throw for four or more TD passes in their first NFL game.
Tarkenton did it for Minnesota against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 17, 1961. Mariota became the first to do it in the opening half.