The Kansas City Chiefs may have caught a break heading into “Monday Night Football,” with Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels ruled out for Week 8. But fans at Arrowhead Stadium still have reason to be nervous. Washington’s backup quarterback, Marcus Mariota, has already made history against Kansas City — and not in a way Chiefs fans like to remember.
It’s been nearly seven years since Mariota pulled off one of the most unbelievable plays in NFL postseason history. Yet, as the Chiefs prepare to face the Commanders, the memory of that 2018 Wild Card game still stings.
Marcus Mariota’s Wild Touchdown Still Haunts the Chiefs
On January 6, 2018, Mariota and the Tennessee Titans came into Arrowhead Stadium as underdogs. The Chiefs started fast, taking a commanding 21-3 lead, and it looked like they were cruising toward an easy playoff win. But then came one of the strangest — and most unforgettable — plays the NFL has ever seen.
Late in the third quarter, with Tennessee in the red zone, Mariota scrambled left and appeared ready to run for a touchdown. At the last second, he pulled up and fired toward wide receiver Corey Davis in the back of the end zone. The pass was tipped by cornerback Darrelle Revis and somehow bounced straight back into Mariota’s hands.
The quarterback caught his own deflected pass and dove into the end zone for a touchdown — officially a pass to himself. It sparked a comeback that saw the Titans score 19 unanswered points and stun the Chiefs 22-21.
For Kansas City, the loss marked the end of an era. It was the final game for quarterback Alex Smith as the team’s starter, setting the stage for Patrick Mahomes to take over the following season.
Chiefs Reflect on ‘That Crazy Play’ Ahead of Week 8
As the Chiefs prepare to face Mariota once again, head coach Andy Reid and several players reflected on that shocking playoff moment.
“Mariota, we know, has come in here and won a game,” Reid told reporters this week, according to Yahoo Sports. “He’s a good football player, and we don’t slight that at all.”
Mahomes, who watched that 2018 game from the sidelines as a rookie backup, hasn’t forgotten either. “It was such a crazy swing of momentum,” Mahomes said. “There were a couple of plays here and there that changed the whole thing. If you talk about the Derrick Johnson sack-fumble that didn’t get called — and then Marcus making that crazy play.”
Mahomes admitted that the loss taught him a lot. “You can’t let those plays completely change the game,” he said. “You have to find ways to manage that.”
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo made it clear that Kansas City is taking Mariota seriously this time. “They did a really good job getting a backup quarterback who fits exactly what they do,” Spagnuolo said. “I don’t think they skip a beat offensively.”
Linebacker Nick Bolton agreed. “They do a great job of keeping the offense similar in the things that they do,” he said. “Mariota just runs the ball a little bit more with his legs.”
Mariota’s record since that game hasn’t been impressive — he’s now on his fourth team in five years with a 15-20 record as a starter — but the Chiefs know better than to underestimate him. Mahomes summed it up best: “[Mariota’s] had great moments, and he’s persevered. Now he’s teaching Jayden [Daniels], and when he comes in the game, he’s one of the top-tier backups who can find success whenever his number is called.”
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