Journeyman NFL quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who made 24 starts for the Washington franchise between 2021 and 2022, has officially retired after a seven-year professional career.
“Many ups and downs throughout the years, but the ups outweigh the downs tenfold,” Heinicke wrote on Instagram Thursday. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would’ve been able to live this life … Excited for this next chapter of my life.”
Heinicke, 33, last played in the NFL during the 2024 season with the Los Angeles Chargers, who released him just before the 2025 campaign.
As a starter, he posted a 7-8 record with the Washington Football Team in 2021 and a 5-3-1 mark with the rebranded Commanders in 2022. Over his career, he also appeared in games for the Houston Texans (2017), Carolina Panthers (2018), Atlanta Falcons (2023), and Los Angeles Chargers.
The quarterback starred at the FCS level for Old Dominion University, where he won the Walter Payton Award and was named FCS Player of the Year in 2012.
Undrafted in 2015, Heinicke finished his NFL tenure with a 13-15-1 record as a starter. He completed 62.5% of his passes for 6,663 yards, 39 touchdowns, and 28 interceptions across 42 games (29 starts).
One of his most memorable performances came on January 9, 2021, when he served as an emergency starter for Washington’s wild-card playoff game against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Filling in for the injured Alex Smith, Heinicke completed 26 of 44 passes for 306 yards with one touchdown and one interception, adding a rushing score in a 31-23 loss played in an empty stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
