Former Vikings QB Taylor Heinicke impresses in playoffs for Washington
By Adam Carlson
Former Vikings quarterback Taylor Heinicke dropped some jaws in the playoffs.
At one time, Minnesota Vikings fans were enamored with the potential of Taylor Heinicke. The highly athletic quarterback was a preseason rock star for the purple and gold that has bounced around the league since leaving the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Now with the Washington Football Team, Taylor Heinicke got his number called to start on Super Wild Card Weekend against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when Alex Smith was unable to take the field on Saturday Night.
Expectations were low for this quarterback that few people outside of Vikings fans were familiar with. However, with his performance against Tampa Bay, he may have worked himself into a nine contract and more opportunities going forward.
Of course, Heinicke was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent following the 2015 NFL Draft. He stuck with the team until he was waived with an injury settlement in 2017. Since then, he bounced around the league, spending time with the Patriots, Texans, Panthers, and the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks before finally landing in Washington.
With Alex Smith out and the Football Team releasing Dwayne Haskins in the middle of the season, Washingon’s hopes of beating the Buccaneers rested on the arm and legs of Taylor Heinicke at quarterback.
Sadly, Heinicke wasn’t able to put Tom Brady and the Buccaneers away, but his stat line looks mighty good for a young man filling in at quarterback. He completed 26 of his 44 pass attempts for 306 yards and one touchdown to go with one interception. However, it was his mobility that opened the eyes of many around the world, rushing six times for 46 yards and a beautiful diving touchdown.
Here is what some of the experts around the NFL had to say about Heinicke’s performance:
Quickly going from “Wow, Taylor Heinicke is playing well” to “Taylor Heinicke needs to get a chance to start next year.”
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) January 10, 2021
YOU DON'T BEAT TAYLOR HEINICKE BY KICKING FGS
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) January 10, 2021
Taylor Heinicke: The People's Quarterback
— John Keim (@john_keim) January 10, 2021
Taylor Heinicke is about to get a $50 million dollar deal from the Denver Broncos.
— Brad Evans (@NoisyHuevos) January 10, 2021
Taylor Heinicke is a MFing MAN
— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) January 10, 2021
Taylor Heinicke, regardless of how this game ultimately ends, is one of the @NFL stories of the year.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) January 10, 2021
Heinicke was cramming for finals in December. Six weeks later, he has his team within one of score of Tom Brady in a playoff game.
Taylor Heinicke man crush
— trey wingo (@wingoz) January 10, 2021
Obviously, I expect Brady & Tampa Bay to play well offensively, but Taylor Heinicke has truly shown so much fight, skill, & accuracy. He’s a player.
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) January 10, 2021
Taylor Heinicke outplaying Tom Brady is a great reminder that nobody knows anything about football and never be convinced otherwise
— Danny Heifetz (@Danny_Heifetz) January 10, 2021
OK, after Washington gives Taylor Heinicke the franchise tag, what else do they need this offseason?
— Robert Mays (@robertmays) January 10, 2021
What did you think of Taylor Heinicke’s playoff performance with the Washington Football Team against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Are you starting to wish he was back in Minnesota be the backup for Kirk Cousins and the Vikings? Let’s hear your thoughts about the young man in the comments.