Marcus Mariota understands what it is like to be in Jayden Daniels’ shoes. Like Daniels, he won the Heisman Trophy during his time in college. Also like the phenomenal Washington Commanders rookie, Mariota was the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft behind another quarterback.

It has been a while since Mariota has had his number called, but he was brought into duty on Sunday after Daniels left the game with a rib injury. Not only did the former Oregon star get some playing time, but he also delivered an incredible performance to help the team get the 40-7 win against the Carolina Panthers.

Mariota stepped right in, completing 18-of-23 passes for 205 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also showed off some of the athleticism, as he rushed for 34 yards. Tight end Zach Ertz caught 1 of the touchdowns, while rookie tight end Ben Sinnot caught the other pass.

There wasn’t an immediate injury report on Daniels, and that will be something to watch the next few days as we get ready for Week 8 of the NFL season.

Fans are clamoring for next week’s potential matchup between Daniels and Caleb Williams, but Mariota showed he will be more than ready if his number is called again.