Mariota misses practice, hoping to play Sunday
NASHVILLE — Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota did not practice Wednesday, giving the sprained MCL in his left knee a day of rest. The rookie was not wearing any protective gear on his injured leg as he talked about playing Sunday.
No brace, not even a wrap for any support.
Mariota said he would wear a brace if he must. He also said his chances of playing against the Atlanta Falcons are pretty good, and he’s keeping up with treatment and preparing as if he will start his sixth NFL game.
“You got to be able to show that you buy into what’s going on here, and I’m going to do my best to make sure that I’m prepared and hopefully can go on Sunday,” Mariota said.
Mariota sprained the ligament in his knee when he was hit low by Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon in last week’s 38-10 loss to Miami.
Vernon said Wednesday the NFL fined him for the hit and he plans to appeal. He declined to say how much he was fined.
Vernon apologized after the game to Mariota, who said he didn’t think the hit was malicious.
It’s the same knee Mariota sprained in 2013 at Oregon, and he played the final four games that season wearing a brace.
“Having that same injury is going to help me with my treatment and how I feel,” Mariota said.
Coach Ken Whisenhunt said Mariota is day to day and making progress. Deciding whether Mariota plays will mean the quarterback must be able to move with no issues with his knee.
“He’s had something like this before,” Whisenhunt said. “He has a good Titans QB Marcus Mariota (left) is tackled by the Dolphins’ Olivier Vernon (middle) on Sunday. Mariota sprained the MCL in his left knee, and Vernon has been fined by the NFL. feeling for what’s normal for him. I think you’ve just got to walk the line of, he’s a tough guy and he wants to play, and we’ve got to make sure that he’s OK to play.”
Mariota wasn’t the only player not to practice Wednesday. Cornerback Perrish Cox (hamstring), safety Michael Griffin (knee), running back Dexter McCluster (illness) and wide receiver Harry Douglas (ribs) also sat out.
DEVELOPMENTS
Brady wants 10 more years: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has no plans to retire anytime soon and said he hopes to play another 10 years.
During a conference call with New York Jets reporters Wednesday, 38-yearold Brady said his goal is to play “a long time” but added that a lot goes into having longevity in the NFL, including great teammates.
When asked if he was being serious about playing another decade, Brady insisted that is definitely his plan but acknowledged that a lot of factors would need to come into play for him to achieve that.
Romo improving: Tony Romo isn’t throwing yet, but he is making progress after breaking his left collarbone in Week 2, Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Wednesday.
“Obviously he can’t do anything on the practice field,” Garrett said. “He’s four games away from doing it, but I think he’s made progress. He’s moving around better. I think there is some things that are uncomfortable for him, but I think as you look at how he’s healed, everything has been positive up to this point.”
Romo, who was placed on injured reserve/designated to return, is eligible to return to practice after the Nov. 1 game against the Seattle Seahawks, and could return to game action Nov. 22 against the Dolphins at the earliest.
Briefly: Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles had surgery Tuesday to repair the torn ACL in his right knee. Charles was hurt in a loss to the Chicago Bears on Oct. 11. ... Seahawks running back Fred Jackson will play tonight against the San Francisco 49ers after being examined by the team following a minor car crash Tuesday, coach Pete Carroll said. ... The Titans added outside linebacker Markus Pierce-Brewster to their practice squad.