Commanders Marcus Mariota Has An Interesting Reason Why He's Becoming The First QB To Wear The Number 0

Last season, the NFL started letting players wear the No. 0 and while there were some takers in the ol' goose egg's inaugural season, none of them played under center… that is, until now.

Marcus Mariota of the Washington Commanders — wait, he's a Commander now? — will become the first quarterback in NFL history to wear No. 0 starting with the 2024 season.

So why does one even adopt No. 0. It kind of looks cool, I suppose, and while I'm the kind of guy who thinks it should be worn because it's a digit, I'd be lying if I said I didn't sometimes feel like someone took the mascot's jersey.

That's not why Mariota is going with it, nor is it to put his name in the history books as the first to sport the number.

Instead, it's a way to give himself a little bulletin board material on the front and back of his jersey.

"Zero is something for me that's just a reminder," Mariota said in an interview posted on the Commanders website. "I'm in year 10. People don't think I can do it anymore. It's just kind of a reminder every day of 'nobody really gives you a chance.' And it's cool to be able to remind yourself."

First of all, talk about a "feel old?" moment. Marcus Mariota is entering his tenth season? Jeez. 

Marcus Mariota will give a new number a shot in Washington. (Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images)

Anyway, for most of his career — including his collegiate career at Oregon and the first two stops in his pro career with the Titans and then the Raiders — Mariota wore No. 8. 

However, when he arrived in Atlanta, No. 8 belonged to tight end and the man the Falcons seem to forget to throw to sometimes (he was on my fantasy team, so I'm all too aware of how he has been underutilized), Kyle Pitts. 

So, Mariota went with No. 1 and was able to pick No. 8 up again last season in Philadelphia.

We'll find out in a few months if that jersey number-picking methodology works out for him in Washington.