Former Vikings quarterback possibly heading to the XFL
By Adam Patrick
Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Taylor Heinicke recently posted and then deleted a tweet that said he was entering the upcoming XFL Supplemental Draft.
As they look to find a way back into the NFL, a number of former Minnesota Vikings players will be suiting up for XFL teams when the new league launches in 2020. Guys like Willie Beavers, Stacey Coley, Storm Norton, Jack Tocho, and Jeff Badet are some of the former Vikings who will be taking the field in an XFL uniform in the near future.
Well, now another former Minnesota player might be taking is talents to the new league too, as former Vikings quarterback Taylor Heinicke appeared to recently announce that he would be entering his name into the pool of players who will be available in the XFL Supplemental Draft that is set to begin on Friday.
Heinicke’s participation in the league might be in a little bit of doubt, however, since the post he put on his Twitter account to make the announcement has been deleted. But since everything lasts forever on the internet, we still have visual proof that it once existed.
It wouldn’t be too surprising if Heinicke actually did sign on with an XFL team. After joining the Vikings in 2015, he remained with the team until they made their final cuts before the 2017 season. Since then, Heinicke has spent time with the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and Carolina Panthers.
When Cam Newton went down last year, the former Minnesota quarterback actually made his first-ever start in the NFL. The Panthers ended up losing with Heinicke as their starter though and he finished the game with 274 passing yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions.
During his time with the Vikings, Heinicke gained some notoriety for his play during the preseason. Before Kyle Sloter, he was the guy who used to come in for Minnesota and make a bunch of plays during the final quarter or two of their exhibition matchups.
If Heinicke does actually end up getting an opportunity to play in the XFL, it will be a great chance for him to improve his skills as a passer and potentially prove that he has what it takes to return to the NFL one day.