Chargers Re-Sign Backup QB Taylor Heinicke to One-Year Contract

The 31-year-old reportedly will remain in Los Angeles next season.

Heinicke appeared in four games for the Chargers last season. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers added to their quarterbacks room on Thursday.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Chargers have agreed to re-sign quarterback Taylor Heinicke to a one-year contract worth up to $6.2 million. Heinicke will serve as the backup to Justin Herbert again in Los Angeles.

Heinicke appeared in four games last season for the Chargers, playing just 22 offensive snaps and completing 3-of-5 pass attempts for 32 yards.

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The 31-year-old Heinicke has been around the block in his career. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2015 but never appeared in a game. After a short stint on the New England Patriots' practice squad, Heinicke made his NFL debut in 2017 with the Houston Texans and ended up on the Carolina Panthers in '18.

After a short-lived tenure with the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL in which he never saw the field, Heinicke signed with the Washington Football Team in December 2020. He made a name for himself in the playoffs that year, stepping in for an injured Alex Smith and taking Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wire-to-wire in a 31–23 loss.

Since that playoff loss, Heinicke has appeared in 34 games for the Commanders, Atlanta Falcons and Chargers. He owns an 84.1 passer rating with 39 touchdowns and 28 interceptions over 42 career games.

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