Commanders QB Taylor Heinicke 'Ignited This Team,' Says NFL Legend
Washington Commanders quarterback Taylor Heinicke was never supposed to be a starter in the NFL.
But he is now, and despite all the film and analysis people want to watch and pick apart, it's working.
To the tune of 5-1 in his six starts this season.
And what makes Heinicke work with the Commanders is what legendary former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason likes about him.
"His teammates respect him, admire him, and want to play for him, and I can see that," legendary quarterback Boomer Esiason recently said in an interview on the Locked On Commanders podcast. "It's the most important thing for a quarterback to have. Now if I take that and I compare that to Russell Wilson out in Denver right now or Zach Wilson with the New York Jets, it's the complete opposite, they've lost their locker rooms. It's important to have everybody on your team supporting you. You can see the defensive players, they love him...What I think (coach) Ron Rivera is recognizing as a former player himself is just how Taylor Heinicke has ignited this team."
Not only was Heinicke never supposed to start in the NFL, but he also wasn't even a starter in the XFL for the short period he was there.
And when Washington went looking for a new quarterback after moving on from Alex Smith and the late Dwayne Haskins Jr., it wasn't Heinicke being eyed for the top spot.
Despite that fact, it was Heinicke who led the team on a near upset of the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 NFL Playoffs.
Still, the next offseason, that job instead went to veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. Until he was injured in the first quarter of his first regular season game.
And then it was Heinicke's job. Until the end of that season.
Then it was Carson Wentz's turn to be the quarterback Rivera and the Commanders wanted to lead their team.
Until he got hurt.
Now, again, Heinicke has stepped in and maybe he's finally received what he's fought so hard to earn.
A starting job in the NFL.
We don't know exactly what the future holds for the Commanders or their quarterback, but the way Esiason sees it, "Right now this is Taylor Heinicke's team, and I appreciate that."
Heinicke and the Commanders face the New York Giants at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82 and on the Locked On Commanders podcast.
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