The younger brother of Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback Marcus Mariota, Matt, is now playing college football in Leeds after coming over to England to study sports coaching.
24-year-old Matt Mariota played as a tight end at Oregon, appearing in 13 games in 2018 for the same college team in which his brother had one of the best years a college quarterback has ever had in the NCAA, when Marcus won the Heisman Trophy in 2014.
And after studying at Oregon to get his degree, Matt is now studying for his masters degree in sports coaching a Leeds Beckett University, finding out he was eligible to play for the team's American Football side, Leeds Carnegie.
Speaking to KHON2 News in Hawaii, Mariota said: "I'm kind of sprung on this little adventure that I am in. I am just so blessed to keep playing football, the game that I love. Football is fun again. These guys are not playing for money, they are playing for the joy and love of the game which is fun, it's good to be around."
Matt revealed that he speaks to older brother Marcus regularly, who continues to help him after making the move from tight end to quarterback.
He said: "He's been my godsend, of course. He and I have been texting back and forth, it's nice to speak on things."
Matt also revealed that he hadn't wanted to play quarterback, but is happy to be used in the position to help the team. He said: "The honest truth is, I came here to play running back. But it's quite funny because we run the wishbone (an offensive formation designed to run the ball using three running backs as well as a mobile quarterback). So I am kind of playing running back, but technically I am a quarterback.
Older brother Marcus would have a legendary career with Oregon in his three years at the Pacific northwest school, before being drafted second overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Mariota is now the starting quarterback with the Falcons, and played in his last night's to the Carolina Panthers, which saw the Falcons drop to 4-6 with the Panthers moving to 3-7.
