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JACKSONVILLE —** Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota suffered a fractured right fibula in Saturday's loss to the Jaguars and is out for the remainder of the season.
He will undergo surgery over the next few days.
Mariota was injured in the third quarter and carted off the field. He left the locker room and headed to the team bus on crutches after the contest.
Mariota suffered the injury when he was sacked by Jaguars defensive lineman Sheldon Day.
"We'll know more how to handle that when he gets back and sees a doctor,'' Titans coach Mike Mularkey said of Mariota. "You don't want to lose Marcus. He means a lot to this football team. He is so well respected and loved by his teammates.
"It is hard (on him). It is hard. If you saw him, he knew he was hurt on the field when he was punching the ground like he was. He is such a competitor. He doesn't like not playing with his teammates, so he took it hard."
Mariota's foot was planted and the injury occurred when the defender landed on him. He stayed on the field as doctors and trainers hurried to the scene. When the cart came out, Mariota's lower right leg was put in an air cast, and he was carted off the field with the Titans trailing 25-10. Players from both teams approached Mariota on his way off the field.
Back-up quarterback Matt Cassel replaced Mariota. The Titans went on to lose, 38-17.
"You never want to see anybody leave the game with injury, and a guy like Marcus who has had such a tremendous year, he is a competitor and he works hard and he wants to do everything right,'' Cassel said of Mariota. "You have nothing but admiration for somebody like that. And for his season to abruptly end on an injury is tough to swallow for everybody and everybody is disappointed for him."
Mariota completed 8-of-22 passes for 99 yards in the contest before the injury.
Mariota started all 15 games this season for the Titans, and finished the season 276-of-451 for 3,426 yards with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate earlier this week.
Players on offense and defense said they went into the training room after the game to wish Mariota well.
"I hate it for Marcus,'' linebacker Derrick Morgan said. "You can't ask for a better leader and a better guy to represent our team and you have him go down on something like that is heartbreaking.'
Mariota was sacked twice on Sunday, and 23 times on the season. He was sacked 38 times in 12 games last season.
"It breaks my heart, man,'' tackle Taylor Lewan said. "We've done such a good job protecting him all year and a couple of mishaps in this game and that happens. It is such a fragile sport and that can happen on any play.
"My heart goes out to him. He is an unbelievable guy. He is unreal as a person so hope for a fast recovery."
The Tennessee Titans take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16 action at EverBank Field. (Photos: Donn Jones, AP)