NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Titans benched quarterback Marcus Mariota for Ryan Tannehill in mid-October after a 2-4 start, but finding the No. 2 pick overall from the 2015 draft hasn't been that difficult during their amazing playoff run.
Just keep an eye on the field.
The Titans (11-7) have played Mariota in each of their past three games - he completed a pass in two games and went out for one in last week's win in Baltimore - and coach Mike Vrabel made it clear Tennessee plans to keep tapping him as long as he's still on the roster.
"Well, we just like to try to have a role for everybody that's active in the game," Vrabel said. "And Marcus not only had a role in the game but will continue to have a role in the game. He helped us prepare last week. I know that he'll do the same thing this week. He's been very supportive of Ryan, so we'll keep finding ways for him to help us during the games."
Mariota had a 92.3 passer rating during the regular season with seven touchdown passes and only two interceptions before being pulled in the third quarter of a 16-0 loss in Denver on Oct. 13. The Titans switched to Tannehill - the former longtime Miami Dolphins starter who was traded to Tennessee last March - with hopes of sparking the offense, and they averaged 30.4 points the rest of the regular season.
That has left Mariota running the scout team, and he has helped by pretending to be Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and now 2018 NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes in practice as the Titans prepare to visit the Kansas City Chiefs (13-4) on Sunday in the AFC championship game.
Kickoff is set for 3:05 p.m. EST, and CBS will televise the game. In the NFC title matchup, the San Francisco 49ers (14-3) host the Green Bay Packers (14-3) at 6:40 p.m. EST on Fox.
"I take every single day and I try to make the most of it," Mariota said before practice Wednesday. "We have a great defense, and for me it's an opportunity to get better. Any way I can help this team and try to mimic or emulate what these guys are during the game, I'm going to do it. I'm just going to try to help our guys out."
In the regular-season finale at Houston, which the Titans won 35-14 to clinch a postseason berth, Mariota threw a 24-yard pass to rookie A.J. Brown.
"He told me (during) the week he was going to throw me the ball if he checked it," Brown said. "I knew the ball was coming to me. He told me to score, and I was kind of gassed at the moment. I was kind of down I didn't score on that play."
Mariota also played in the 20-13 wild-card win over the Patriots, completing a 4-yard pass to tight end MyCole Pruitt on the eighth play of the Titans' opening drive. Coming in for one play and one throw isn't what Mariota had been used to, though, having started 61 of 63 games since he was drafted.
"It's different for me for sure, but I appreciate the fact that I get to be out there with the guys," said Mariota, the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner at Oregon. "Every single time, every single moment that you're on the field, I never take it for granted."
Mariota might have scored in the 28-12 divisional playoff win against the Ravens if only running back Derrick Henry hadn't thrown into triple coverage to Corey Davis with his jump pass. Mariota was wide open out to the right, but Davis always was the intended target and made the catch.
Kansas City coach Andy Reid remembers well Mariota leading the Titans to a 22-21 wild-card win on Jan. 6, 2018, when the quarterback even caught his own (deflected) pass. So Reid is well aware the Titans can use Mariota as another option.
"That's one of the benefits to having him there," Reid said. "He's a Heisman winner, he can run the ball, he can throw the ball. He's a good football player. You've got to be ready for that."
Mariota earned $20.9 million this season as the Titans picked up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, but he is eligible for free agency March 18.
Said Mariota: "If I can just be present here and help our guys out, help this team out, everything else will fall into place."