ATLANTA -- Three years ago last week, Marcus Mariota lost his job. He wasn’t fired, but demoted midgame with the Tennessee Titans. Ryan Tannehill replaced him at quarterback, giving Mariota's confidence a hit and sending him on a three-team, three-year journey.

It’s a period of Mariota’s life he has mentioned often during his first months in Atlanta, where he’s once again a starting quarterback. On Sunday, he thought a little bit about it all -- the benching, the journey, the return and perhaps even the irony of it.

Three years later, with a new team in the Atlanta Falcons and the same playcaller as in Tennessee (coach Arthur Smith), Mariota had one of his best games as a pro. He completed 13 of 14 passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns and ran six times for 50 yards and another touchdown in the 28-14 win Sunday over the 49ers. Against one of the better defenses in the NFL -- injury-plagued or not -- he looked like the quarterback who was drafted No. 2 overall in 2015 by those same Titans that eventually benched him years later.

“You look back on it, right, and at that point in time in my career, you’re part of a good team, part of a good organization. Thought that if you got the ball rolling, you’d be there for a long time,” Mariota said. “And just one thing led to another, but at the end of the day I’m truly grateful for what happened to me, because I’m here because of it.

“I’ve gotten this opportunity. I’m back with Arthur. I’m back with this team. I’m able to help this young group. I’ll never take any of that for granted.”

After his travels -- benched in Tennessee, Derek Carr’s backup in Las Vegas for two years and then another starting job in Atlanta -- he understands what it takes. Mariota has consistently said he has learned from watching Carr. Picked up nuances in preparation that have helped him now.

But those early-on days in Atlanta, for every good play he had there were also question marks. Some were mistakes. Others acclimating in a new environment after two-plus years not starting. In the NFL, at quarterback, nothing can replicate that.

As each week went, Mariota said his confidence grew. It showed in his demeanor, too. His friend from Hawai'i, UFC star Max Holloway, called him "Mr. Aloha," the nicest guy you could meet. Someone in a perpetual state of calmness.

That carries over to the huddle. Mariota may get excited about a play, but returning to the huddle he’s back to baseline. On Sunday, when running back Caleb Huntley took his first snap, he started sweating. His eyes grew wide.

In stepped Mariota, the Falcons’ voice of calm in an unforgiving, violent sport.

“He can tell when my anxiety kicks in on the field,” Huntley said. “... He’s like, ‘Hunt, just calm down man. Take it a play at a time.’ For him to tell me that, it just shows what kind of leader he is.”

Huntley has always believed in Mariota. When Mariota first signed in Atlanta, Huntley and Mariota ended up in the practice facility together one day. Mariota went up, introduced himself and the starting quarterback treated the guy without an NFL carry like everyone else. Not every quarterback would do that. At the time, it meant a lot to Huntley, now one of his main running backs.

Ask a Falcons player about Mariota. One of the first things they talk about is his demeanor and how it helps all of them thrive. While quarterbacking is about making plays and the right decisions, it is also about being able to coalesce 10 different guys and personalities with your own to make a cohesive offense.

Mariota does that. In Atlanta, it’s starting to show with even more consistency.

“I think he’s just now coming into his own as far as coaches believing in him, allowing him to be who he is, allowing him to be the person that he is and allowing him to thrive,” said linebacker Rashaan Evans, who also played with Mariota in Tennessee. “Coaches, a lot of times they can quit on players, even if they start slow.

“But for right now, Marcus has been playing the best ball of his career and I think he’s going to continue to keep doing those things.”

The Falcons players believe in Mariota. Mariota believes in them. When you’re trying to resurrect a career, which Mariota is attempting to do in Atlanta, that matters. Mariota came to Atlanta in part because of the chance to start, but also because he knew what he’d be getting.

He had familiarity with Smith, even though he was part of the staff that benched him three years ago. He understood what Smith was trying to do with the Falcons. He saw the chance he longed for.

When Mariota plays like he did Sunday, it causes opposing defenses issues. Gives them a lot to defend. Smith knew what the best of Mariota could be and how it could fit into his offense, something perhaps that’s starting to show.

“He’s genuine,” Smith said. “These guys believe in him. Those are things that you can’t put in the stat sheet. Just watch the way that these guys play.

“He didn’t play for 2½ years, so it took a couple games and there’s some things, a little rusty here and there, but every game, he’s getting more comfortable.”