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The Journey Continues

Marc Mariani kicks off another season in the NFL

Life in the National Football League is usually a journey. Some longer than others. But it’s been an especially long one for former Havre High and University of Montana Grizzly Marc Mariani.

Now, though, when Mariani takes the field on Sunday as the Chicago Bears take on the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field in Chicago, it’s a journey that has been well worth it.

Mariani begins his sixth season in the NFL Sunday. To many fans, who think of guys like Tom Brady, Payton Manning or Brett Favre, six years in the league is nothing. But for more than 90 percent of the players who play in the league, six years is a career.

In other words, Mariani has made it, and then some.

But, making it in the NFL is never easy, and it hasn’t been easy for Mariani, either. He spent two seasons in injured reserve with the Tennessee Titans, then after a fierce training camp battle, in which the Titans had a new head coach, Mariani was released by the team that drafted him. He spent the next nearly 10 weeks out of football all together — until the Bears came calling in the 11th week of the 2015 season. And though Mariani shined in kickoff and punt return duties for the Bears late last season, and he had signed a two-year deal with Chicago, again, nothing was going to come easy.

This summer, Mariani spent five weeks in training camp once again fighting for his NFL life. Sure, he was a known commodity as a kick returner, but with only 53 spots available on the roster, it was going to be a fight for Mariani to make the Bears’ opening day team.

Yet, it’s a fight Mariani knows how to win. It was a fight Mariani has been through many, many times. Now, once again, he’s going to back playing Sundays.

So, while Havre and the rest of the state gets Bears fever now that Mariani is again playing full-time on Sundays, here’s a look back at his journey in his six years as a professional football player:

Going into the 2015 season Mariani has played in 38 games for the Tennessee Titans (2010-14) and the Chicago Bears (2014). He owns 2,788 kickoff return yards on 112 attempts (24.9 avg) and one TD. He has scored twice on 80 punt returns of 848 yards (10.6 avg). Offensively, he has recorded five catches for 24 yards (4.8 avg) and one rushing attempt for four yards.

In 2013, Mariani was placed on injured reserve Aug. 31, 2013, and missed the entire season in Tennessee with a shoulder injury. He was placed on injured reserve by the Titans on Aug. 26, 2012 and missed the entire season with a leg injury. In 2011, he appeared in all 16 games for the Titans, ranking 7th in the AFC with a 10.7 punt return avg. and finishing 8th in the AFC with a 23.4 kickoff return avg. He caught five passes for 24 yards and added one rush for 4 yards. He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after posting his second career punt return for a touchdown with a 79-yarder at Carolina on Nov. 13.

In 2010, Mariani was named to the Pro Bowl as a return specialist. He appeared in all 16 games for Tennessee and finished 2nd in the AFC and 4th in the NFL with a 12.2-yard punt return average. He finished 4th in the AFC with 25.5-yard kickoff return average. He set the Titans/Oilers single-season record with 1,859 total return yards and 1,530 kickoff return yards in 2010. He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after posting an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown against Washington on Nov. 21. He became the second Titans/Oilers player to record a punt return touchdown and kickoff return touchdown in the same regular season.

Mariani’s NFL journey began by being drafted by the Titans in the 7th round, as the 222nd overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Mariani’s second season with the Bears begins Sunday when Chicago hosts Green Bay at 11 a.m. M.S.T. The Bears have two primetime games this season. Chicago plays at the San Diego Chargers on ESPN Monday Night Football Nov. 9 and the Bears play the NBC Sunday Night Game of the Week at Green Bay on Nov. 26.

 

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