Every so often, we see someone get their one shot at potential success and fame in the NFL. This past postseason, it just so happened to be Taylor Heinicke’s turn. In the beginning of 2020, he was a backup quarterback for the St. Louis BattleHawks in the XFL. To begin 2021, he went up against Tom Brady in the playoffs and nearly came away with an incredible upset.
After his solid performance, people were speculating about whether or not Washington would try to keep him on the team moving forward. Taylor was signed in mid-December as COVID insurance, but wasn’t expected to play, but then Alex Smith went down. His impressive play raised some eyebrows, and has now landed him a deal with the Washington Football Team.
The Washington Football Team has agreed to terms on a 2-year extension for QB Taylor Heinicke, sources say, worth $8.75M. There are also incentives depending on how many games he starts. Real security for their resilient QB who started and impressed in the playoff game.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 10, 2021
This is awesome to see, especially for fans of the XFL. It goes to show that these spring leagues matter. These guys just need a chance to play, to showcase what they can do.
Against Tampa Bay, he finished the night with over 300 yards through the air, 46 yards on the ground, and two total TDs. He also created one of the most exciting plays to occur throughout the entire postseason, when he outran (and out-dived, if that’s a word) Tampa’s defense to pull the game within two points:
This play will forever live down in the History Books pic.twitter.com/Zq1ZWOpdTY
— Jordan Asri (@wfteamjordan) February 10, 2021
Right now, the future of Taylor’s football career is in his own hands. With this deal, he will now have the opportunity to battle it out with other QB’s in the offseason. Only time will tell who will start at the QB position for Washington during the 2021-2022 season, but one thing we do know: Heinicke is going to give it all he’s got to be their man.
Did you enjoy seeing Taylor Heinicke play in the NFL this season? Do you think he will get to be their starting quarterback next season? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
