Taylor Heinicke Retires After 11 NFL Seasons

Taylor Heinicke, a veteran NFL quarterback known for his gritty performances with the Washington Commanders, announced his retirement Thursday on Instagram after 11 professional seasons.

The 33-year-old undrafted free agent out of Old Dominion posted a message expressing gratitude for his career. "For 25 years, I had the pleasure to play this great sport of football," Heinicke wrote. "It has taught me a lot, not only about myself, but about life as well. Many ups and downs throughout the years, but the ups outweigh the downs tenfold. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have been able to live this life. Thank you to all who have supported me in this journey."

Heinicke's NFL journey began in 2015 when he signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted rookie. He appeared on the 53-man roster that year but did not play, and the team waived him in 2017. Brief stints followed with the New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers, where he made his first start in 2019.

His breakout came late in the 2020 season with Washington. After joining the practice squad, Heinicke stepped in for an injured Alex Smith in a wild-card playoff game against the Tampa Bay...