Washington Commanders folk-hero quarterback Taylor Heinicke has announced his retirement from the National Football League at age 33.
Heinicke last played for the Chargers in 2024, backing up Justin Herbert, but was released at the end of training camp in 2025 and was not picked up by any team. He was a free agent at the time of his announcement Thursday.
Heinicke was undrafted out of Old Dominion in 2017, but caught on with the Texans as a rookie, appearing in one game. He spent 2018 with the Panthers and was out of the NFL in 2019. Heinicke burst into the public consciousness in 2020, with the Washington Football Team, starting their Wild Card Round playoff game against the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers, losing 31-23, but Heinicke brought Washington back in the second half, keeping the team within one score throughout against Tom Brady and company, with a touchdown pass and rushing touchdown. He threw for 306 yards and rushed for 64.
Heinicke became Washington's starter in 2021, playing 16 games, and started nine games for them in 2022. He was a Falcon in 2023, before joining the Chargers the following season. He started 29 career games over seven seasons, going 13-15-1, completing 62.5 percent of this passes for 6,683 yards, 39 touchdowns and 28 interceptions.
My take: I never saw a man lose his way into a starting job, but that's what Heinicke did. It wasn't failing up, as he wasn't the reason Washington lost his two appearances in 2020. He proved he was good enough to make a living as a backup, and did for seven seasons, making $19 million along the way. Not bad.
THE ASYLUM
QB Heinicke retires
Washington Commanders folk-hero quarterback Taylor Heinicke has announced his retirement from the National Football League at age 33.
Heinicke last played for the Chargers in 2024, backing up Justin Herbert, but was released at the end of training camp in 2025 and was not picked up by any team. He was a free agent at the time of his announcement Thursday.
Heinicke was undrafted out of Old Dominion in 2017, but caught on with the Texans as a rookie, appearing in one game. He spent 2018 with the Panthers and was out of the NFL in 2019. Heinicke burst into the public consciousness in 2020, with the Washington Football Team, starting their Wild Card Round playoff game against the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers, losing 31-23, but Heinicke brought Washington back in the second half, keeping the team within one score throughout against Tom Brady and company, with a touchdown pass and rushing touchdown. He threw for 306 yards and rushed for 64.
Heinicke became Washington's starter in 2021, playing 16 games, and started nine games for them in 2022. He was a Falcon in 2023, before joining the Chargers the following season. He started 29 career games over seven seasons, going 13-15-1, completing 62.5 percent of this passes for 6,683 yards, 39 touchdowns and 28 interceptions.
My take: I never saw a man lose his way into a starting job, but that's what Heinicke did. It wasn't failing up, as he wasn't the reason Washington lost his two appearances in 2020. He proved he was good enough to make a living as a backup, and did for seven seasons, making $19 million along the way. Not bad.
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