3:26pm: Speaking today to reporters, Titans head coach Mike Mularkey confirmed that Mariota will miss Week 16, but didn’t rule him out for Week 17, suggesting he would be re-evaluated next week. Mularkey added that if there are any issues with Mariota’s knee, he’ll be held out of the season finale, and it’s hard to imagine the Titans bringing him back for that game, with little to play for the rest of the way (all Twitter links via Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com).
2:21pm: Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota has sprained his MCL for the second time this season, and will miss the final two weeks of the year, according to multiple reports. It’s a right knee injury this time for Mariota, who hurt his left knee earlier in the season.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that Mariota’s sprained knee might result in Zach Mettenberger starting the rest of the way for Tennessee, with Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link) and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link) confirming that the second overall pick isn’t expected to play again in 2015.
With Mettenberger on track to start the Titans’ final two games, the team will certainly bring in another quarterback to back him up, since he and Mariota are currently the only two on the roster. Tennessee had been carrying Charlie Whitehurst on its roster, but he was cut in November and landed with the division-rival Colts, so he’s no longer in play.
While adding an outside free agent – or a player from another practice squad – will be one option for the Titans, the team is also carrying Mike Kafka on the practice squad, so he’s a candidate for a promotion.