Popular former Commanders quarterback announces NFL retirement

Heinicke was phenomenal in the playoff game, completing 26 of 44 passes for 301 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also carried the ball six times for 46 yards and one touchdown. While Washington came up short against the eventual Super Bowl champions, Heinicke became a cult favorite among fans and earned a new two-year contract.

In 2021, Washington signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to be the starting quarterback. He was lost for the year in Week 1, leading Heinicke to start 15 games, going 7-8 as a starter. In 2022, the Commanders traded for Carson Wentz. Wentz was injured and replaced by Heinicke, before later being benched again for the struggling Wentz. He would start nine games in 2022, going 5-3-1 as the starting quarterback.

Heinicke departed Washington in 2023, signing a two-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. After one season in Atlanta, Heinicke was traded to the Los Angeles Chargers ahead of the 2024 season. He did not play last season.

For his NFL career, Heinicke appeared in 42 games, making 29 starts. He completed 62.5% of his passes for 6,663 yards, 39 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. He also rushed for 606 yards.

Several NFL players responded to Heinicke's message, including former Washington teammates Chase Young, Sam Howell, Kam Curl, Jonathan Allen, Antonio Gibson and Dyami Brown. Heinicke was not only popular among his teammates during his time in Washington, but also among the fans, too. During his time with the Commanders, Heinicke led the team to big wins over legendary quarterbacks Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, and was also under center for Washington during its Monday night upset win over the previously unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles in 2022.

Make no mistake, Heinicke will be best remembered for his time in Washington, even ending his retirement message with a "Go Skins."

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Taylor Heinicke announces NFL retirement