Marcus Mariota wanted to test the market after spending the last two seasons with the Washington Commanders, and here's the thing: he could have left if he wanted to.

Mariota had interest from other teams after starting eight games and playing in 11 while Jayden Daniels dealt with his various injuries. He completed 61% of his passes in those games, and there were teams out there that wanted to add his veteran experience to their locker room. In fact, there were some members of his family who would have preferred it if he played on the west coast so he would be closer to home.

Just like last season, though, Mariota turned down those offers to return to Washington. For him, the Commanders offer a unique experience that no other team has, and he wants to be around it as much as possible.

"For me personally, this is the best place to play football," Mariota said. "The atmosphere that's created through DQ [head coach Dan Quinn] is one that I love being a part of."

Quinn, general manager Adam Peters and Managing Partner Josh Harris have worked to create a strong culture that players around the league want to be a part of over the last two seasons. Mariota, who the team first signed during the 2024 offseason, played a role in that, as he was valued for his veteran leadership as much as his reputation for being one of the better backups in the league.

Now that he's gotten a first-hand look at Quinn, Peters and Harris' vision for the organization's future, Mariota doesn't want to leave. Most of the desire to stay centers around the quarterback room; while he, Daniels, Sam Hartman and the rest of the position all compete, there is no ill will between them. They all want each other to succeed, which Mariota said isn't always the case with other teams around the league. Daniels has often praised Mariota for providing him with guidance, and he was one of Mariota's biggest advocates when Mariota had to start in his place.

"Not everybody in there is close," Mariota said of other quarterback rooms around the league. "Not everybody wants to see the guy who's playing, play well. And I didn't want to pass that up."

Much like he did in the 2025 season, Mariota and his family laid out the priorities they were searching for in a team. Location, he said, has always been a priority. He and his wife live in Oregon, and the rest of his family lives in Hawaii. So, there was a natural preference to be somewhere at least closer to the west coast rather than on the other side of the country.

However, finding a team with the right culture and system was more important, and in Mariota's experience, no team does either of those things better than Washington.

"Everything else is a bonus," Mariota said. "Being able to be in a great quarterback room like this, to be around [offensive coordinator David] Blough and to see this system come to life was a challenge and an opportunity I didn't want to pass up."

Mariota also finds the mentorship role that he's had with Washington over the last two seasons to be a rewarding endeavor. The Commanders see value in him having that role as well, and that could be even more important this season with the offense going through significant changes. With Blough's promotion, the Commanders are expected to have a more balanced attack that utilizes more snaps under center to create opportunities with play-action passes.

In a way, Mariota said, it reminds him of his first season with the team, when Quinn was just starting to establish the Commanders' new culture. He doesn't know exactly how the new offense will look, which is why he's looking forward to the challenge of figuring out how the system will highlight his and Daniels' skill sets.

"I think eventually, we'll find what's best for all of us," Mariota said. "And it'll be created to tailor to whoever is in there. I'm excited to be a part of that."

It also helps that Blough will be the one leading that charge. As the assistant quarterbacks coach, Blough has established a strong relationship with both Mariota and Daniels.

And there's the prospect of working alongside Daniels to consider as well. He wasn't a fan of the circumstances that allowed him to play, but he was happy to help Daniels navigate through the injury struggles. Now that Daniels is healthy again, Mariota is ready to help him continue his development.

"We all believe in him," Mariota said. "And the more that we can continue to breathe that confidence into him, I really believe the sky's the limit."