Just two guys from the middle of the Pacific: Tua, Mariota renew friendship in Madrid

"As Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota dined with his parents and brother Tuesday night, one thought dominated their discussion: Can you believe football took Mariota from a tiny high school in Hawaii many years ago to starting in the first NFL game played in Spain? "Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine I'd be sitting here today," Mariota said."

"Sunday's game between two 3-7 teams (9:30 a.m. ET on NFL Network, NFL+) was supposed to be a matchup between Jayden Daniels and Tagovailoa, but Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow two weeks ago. That paved the way for Mariota to start, doing so against a player he has mentored since Tagovailoa was in high school. Tagovailoa was a junior in high school when Mariota began working with him at camps."

Marcus Mariota reflected with his family on how football carried him from a small Hawaii high school to starting the first NFL game in Spain. Both Mariota and Tua Tagovailoa attended Saint Louis High School in Honolulu. The Madrid matchup was scheduled to feature Jayden Daniels against Tagovailoa, but Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow two weeks earlier. Daniels's injury opened the starting job for Mariota, who had previously mentored Tagovailoa. Mariota worked with Tagovailoa at camps when Tagovailoa was a junior, offering guidance and support while Mariota was one of the top college quarterbacks in the country.

Read at ESPN.com