There’s just something about Taylor Heinicke. Washington’s backup quarterback made his first start in 2022 on Sunday and led the Commanders to a 23-21 victory over the Green Bay Packers.
To celebrate. Heinicke went out the following day and used his bonus money to buy a pair of Jordans in Green Bay’s iconic green and yellow colors.
Heinicke overcame a rough start in the first half of Sunday’s game. He started one of seven and also had an interception returned for a touchdown to give the Packers a 14-3 lead. Head coach Ron Rivera didn’t flinch. Heinicke didn’t flinch. And, most importantly, neither did his teammates.
After Washington’s win, his teammates praised him, one after another — with smiles on their faces.
Check out linebacker Cole Holcomb:
Taylor Heinicke: Has that dawg in him, per Cole Holcomb pic.twitter.com/pVRIsDesuE
— NBC Sports Commanders (@NBCSCommanders) October 23, 2022
Wide receiver Curtis Samuel is confident in Heinicke:
“I mean, you shake off the first half after not playing for a while,” Samuel said of Heinicke’s tough start. “You go back out there and lead us to a win, which he did. Taylor’s a heck of a player; you know what I mean. We love it when he’s out there, it’s a great time.”
Safety Jeremy Reaves took to Twitter to show his love:
In 4 I Trust 🫡 pic.twitter.com/nmshvAXqTD
— Jeremy Reaves (@JR1ERA) October 23, 2022
Wide receiver Terry McLaurin is a big fan of Heinicke and had plenty to say about No. 4:
“Yeah, Taylor has a lot of energy in the way he approaches playing this game of football, and you can just tell he plays free-spirited,” McLaurin said. “I think it’s a lot of what he’s been through in his career as a player and as a person. He plays like it’s his last game every single time. I think that energy spreads throughout this team and you just want to be able to make that play to elevate him. He’s been in these situations before, but it’s hard to come and try to win a game when you haven’t played all season. For him to give our receivers chances to make plays, for him to extend plays with his legs and get first downs. The energy he brings to our sideline I think is huge. We are very fortunate to have him on our team, and we’re going to keep trying to do all we can to support him.”
Then there is this courtesy of Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.
Terry McLaurin and Taylor Heinicke had a long embrace in the locker room just before McLaurin came out to talk to media. He said it was about the trust he and Heinicke have in one another to be able to connect on those big plays.
“That’s all I’ve ever wanted as a receiver.”
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) October 23, 2022
Regardless of what those on the outside think of Heinicke, it’s clear those in Washington’s locker room believe in him, and that’s all that matters.
