Taylor Heinicke Called Commanders for Coaching Job in 2020 Before Becoming QB1

Before turning into a solid starting quarterback, Taylor Heinicke called the Washington Commanders looking for a coaching opportunity.

In a goodbye post to Commanders' fans on The Players' Tribune, Heinicke explained he was looking for work after a brief stint in the relaunched XFL before the league shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic and called Washington offensive coordinator Scott Turner:

"He was someone who believed in me from the beginning of my career, so I called him up and asked if he knew of any coaching opportunities. He talked to me about finishing my degree, and what steps I'd need to take to go the coaching route. And then, right before we got off the phone, he paused for a second and said: 'Listen, man … maybe don't hang up the cleats just yet. Covid is changing everything. And you never know in this league.'"

Turner was the quarterbacks coach for the Carolina Panthers during the 2018 season when Heinicke began the year as Cam Newton's backup. He started one game after Newton suffered an injury, but his season came to an end when he injured his elbow.

The Panthers released Heinicke during final roster cuts before the start of the 2019 season. He was on the St. Louis BattleHawks in the XFL but didn't appear in a game before the league stopped play.

Heinicke said he spent time living at his sister's house and took some online classes at Old Dominion, where he played football from 2011 to '14, before getting a call to sign with the Commanders as their emergency quarterback.

The 30-year-old joined Washington's practice squad on Dec. 8, 2020, and was promoted to the active roster 11 days later. His second career start was the Commanders' playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After throwing for 306 yards in a 31-23 loss to the Bucs, Heinicke re-signed with the Commanders on a two-year deal before becoming a restricted free agent. He made 15 starts in 2021, throwing for 3,419 yards and 20 touchdowns.

When Carson Wentz suffered a fractured finger midway through last season, Heinicke took over as the starter for a second time. He went 5-3-1 in nine starts and threw for 12 touchdowns before being benched for the final two games.

Heinicke signed a two-year, $14 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency last week.