Taylor Heinicke is calling it a career. The veteran quarterback announced on Instagram that he’s decided to retire.
“For 25 years, I had the pleasure to play this great sport of football,” Heinicke wrote. “…It has taught me a lot, not only about myself, but about life as well.
“Many ups and downs throughout the years, but the ups outweigh the downs tenfold. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would’ve been able to live this life.
“Thank you to all who have supported me in this journey. Thank you all who have believed in me. And thank you to those who gave me the opportunity to live out my childhood dream.”
Following a standout career at Old Dominion that saw him win the Walter Payton Award and FCS Player of the Year in 2012, Heinicke went undrafted during the 2015 draft. He bounced around a bit during his first few years as a professional, spending time with the Vikings, Patriots, Texans, Panthers, and even the St. Louis BattleHawks of the United Football League. Through his first six years in the NFL, he made eight appearances, including one start with the Panthers.
Heinicke caught on with the Commanders practice squad late in the 2020 season. With Dwayne Haskins getting cut and Alex Smith suffering a calf injury, Heinicke suddenly found himself under center for Washington’s Wild Card Round matchup against the Buccaneers. While the Commanders ended up losing that game, Heinicke performed admirably, completing 26 of his 44 pass attempts for 306 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He also added another 46 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
He signed a new two-year deal with the franchise the following offseason and was expected to serve as the top backup to Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, the veteran starter suffered an injury in Week 1, and Heinicke proceeded to start 15 games that season. He went 7-8 as a starter in 2021, completing 65 percent of his passes for 3,419 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. He also added 313 yards and a score on the ground.
Heinicke entered 2022 as the backup to Carson Wentz, but he was once again inserted into the starting lineup when the QB1 got injured. Heinicke started nine games that year, going 5-3-1 while tossing 12 touchdowns vs. six interceptions. That performance earned him a two-year, $14MM deal with his hometown Falcons, where he was expected to be the backup to Desmond Ridder. Heinicke garnered four starts during that 2023 campaign, going 1-3.
After the Falcons added both Kirk Cousins and first-rounder Michael Penix Jr. during the 2024 offseason, Heinicke was dealt to the Chargers. He spent the 2024 campaign as Justin Herbert‘s backup, and he was limited to five pass attempts in four cameo appearances. He inked a one-year, $6.2MM deal with Los Angeles during the 2025 offseason but didn’t make it to the regular season with the squad, with Trey Lance winning the backup battle. Heinicke didn’t end up getting another gig during the 2025 season.
The 33-year-old will finish his career with 42 appearances. He went 13-15-1 in his 29 starts, tossing 33 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. He also added another three rushing TDs.
