Taylor Heinicke has signed a two-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons worth up to $20 million. Heinicke has spent the last three years with the Washington Commanders.
For the #Falcons and Taylor Heinicke, it’s a two-year deal worth up to $20 million, per source. Atlanta has said Desmond Ridder is the starter, and that’s top-end backup money. https://t.co/6OctczWRPj
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 14, 2023
Taylor Heinicke, Atlanta Falcons, Agree to Contract
Heinicke once again was sent into action in 2022 after starting the season as the backup. He started nine games and passed for 1,859 yards with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions and one rushing touchdown, leading his team to a 5-3-1 record during that span. Despite being easily the most successful quarterback on the season in terms of winning, he was benched towards the end of the season when Carson Wentz became healthy again.
Heinicke played with Old Dominion from 2011 to 2014 in college and won the CAA Offensive Player of the Year award in 2012. He went undrafted in 2015 but signed with the Minnesota Vikings. He stayed with them through 2016 without ever taking a snap for them.
After brief stints with the New England Patriots and Houston Texans in 2017, Heinicke got his first real opportunity with the Carolina Panthers in 2018, getting a start in Week 16. It didn’t go very well as he passed for one touchdown and three interceptions. He was cut in 2019 before the season and did not play football that year. He ended up going to the XFL in 2020, playing for the St. Louis BattleHawks but saw no action before the league suspended operations when Covid hit.
Late in the 2020 NFL season, Heinicke signed with Washington due to them having quarterback injuries. After Alex Smith was ruled out, he unexpectedly got a start in the Wildcard round of the playoffs – and despite losing 31-23, impressed with his underdog drive. He started the 2021 season as the backup but after Ryan Fitzpatrick went down in Week 1, became the starter for the rest of the season, only missing one game due to Covid. In that season, he passed for 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
Thus far in his career, Heinicke has passed for 5,745 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions with two rushing touchdowns added on.
Main Photo: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
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