Taylor Heinicke Discussion

[Voice_of_Reason]

Anselmheifer I'm going to put this here so we don't derail the other thread, but Heinicke should never have been in the league. Not as a QB1, QB2, or QB3. Hell, after he was out of the league, he couldn't even make it as a starter on an XFL team, he was the backup.

Early in his career, he bounced around a few years basically because of Scott Turner, was only on an active roster for one full season before he was out of the league and then re-signed as the emergency COVID QB, who ended up having to play.

Moxy is fine, but his moxy was mostly getting bailed out by McLaurin on underthrown murder balls and one diving run at a pilon where he dislocated his shoulder in a playoff game.

He was basically lucky, and when he wasn't getting lucky, sucked the majority of the time he was here. Then he went to Atlanta and sucked, then he went to the Chargers and sucked, and now is out of the league. Because he sucks. I don't quite understand what the fasciation is with a player who has no arm strength, throws the ball late, has a Rex Grossman "eff it I'm going deep" mentality but doesn't have near the arm talent to pull it off, makes bad reads and turns the ball over.

He had the opportunity in Atlanta to prove he was better than Ridder, and he couldn't do that. Ridder was benched because he was terrible, Heinicke came in, played worse, and was benched and they put Ridder back in.

The guy can't play. Period. Any level of QB on the depth chart.

I'd much prefer to get somebody who has a chance of developing as a QB 3. Heinicke has no chance of developing because he is what he is.

Hartman should also not be on an NFL active roster. And so far hasn't been. He'll be on the roster this year, and then he'll move into being a male underwear model next year, and they will sign somebody else to hopefully develop.

I put both of them on exactly the same tier: should not be in the NFL. There's one level on that tier, and they're both in it together.

 

[Chris]

It’s the power of personality. Full stop. He struck a chord with a lot of fans. He epitomized what many fans see in themselves, an every man that got a shot. Like all of us (in our mistaken assumptions) but he wasn’t up to the task though he did get his chance to prove it.

 

[CuredFromBatteredFanSyndrome]

It’s the power of personality. Full stop. He struck a chord with a lot of fans. He epitomized what many fans see in themselves, an every man that got a shot. Like all of us (in our mistaken assumptions) but he wasn’t up to the task though he did get his chance to prove it.

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I acknowledge his story was cool and why it resonates with fans. What threw me for a loop was the glorification of his play.

 

[Chris]

Everyone sees what that want to see, colored by their biases. Fans are much more emotional than smart. Game threads expose this phenomena every week.

 

[Boone]

I have never really understood why he was such a polarizing figure? To me, he was a journeyman type who literally got pulled off the couch and thrust into action. He had some memorable moments but ultimately an NFL QB has to have very good to elite talent to make it long-term and Heinicke just didn’t have that.

 

[Anselmheifer]

Anselmheifer I'm going to put this here so we don't derail the other thread, but Heinicke should never have been in the league. Not as a QB1, QB2, or QB3. Hell, after he was out of the league, he couldn't even make it as a starter on an XFL team, he was the backup.

Early in his career, he bounced around a few years basically because of Scott Turner, was only on an active roster for one full season before he was out of the league and then re-signed as the emergency COVID QB, who ended up having to play.

Moxy is fine, but his moxy was mostly getting bailed out by McLaurin on underthrown murder balls and one diving run at a pilon where he dislocated his shoulder in a playoff game.

He was basically lucky, and when he wasn't getting lucky, sucked the majority of the time he was here. Then he went to Atlanta and sucked, then he went to the Chargers and sucked, and now is out of the league. Because he sucks. I don't quite understand what the fasciation is with a player who has no arm strength, throws the ball late, has a Rex Grossman "eff it I'm going deep" mentality but doesn't have near the arm talent to pull it off, makes bad reads and turns the ball over.

He had the opportunity in Atlanta to prove he was better than Ridder, and he couldn't do that. Ridder was benched because he was terrible, Heinicke came in, played worse, and was benched and they put Ridder back in.

The guy can't play. Period. Any level of QB on the depth chart.

I'd much prefer to get somebody who has a chance of developing as a QB 3. Heinicke has no chance of developing because he is what he is.

Hartman should also not be on an NFL active roster. And so far hasn't been. He'll be on the roster this year, and then he'll move into being a male underwear model next year, and they will sign somebody else to hopefully develop.

I put both of them on exactly the same tier: should not be in the NFL. There's one level on that tier, and they're both in it together.

Just to clarify, I don’t think he was good. I just think he was better than Hartman is. Hartman can’t even play a decent quarter against backups in the preseason. Heinicke at least had moments.

The only place I disagree with you is that I do think Heinicke was at some point good enough to be a QB3. I’m super not invested in him, or in the Heinicke disagreements on the board. I haven’t followed him. Have no idea how he looked in other cities. Am glad we are no longer the kind of team that has to worry about a feel good, rags to riches, QB1 story, for a QB who sucks.

Hartman just suuuuuucks as an NFL QB. And I like Hartman fine as a human.. I’m fine with him on the PS, THIS YEAR, if they thought it benefited Jayden. Next year, Jayden is a 3rd year QB. And Jayden wants to win. Get a real backup

So, maybe I disagree with you 5%. But, we 95% agree. My post was much more about Hartman than Heinicke.

 

[RedWolf]

I have never really understood why he was such a polarizing figure? To me, he was a journeyman type who literally got pulled off the couch and thrust into action. He had some memorable moments but ultimately an NFL WB has to have very good to elite talent to make it long-term and Heinicke just didn’t have that.

Are we in the middle of off-season? Because it seems like it's one of those threads! LOL

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Are we in the middle of off-season? Because it seems like it's one of those threads! LOL

If you knew the history of this thread, it’s been a lot worse than this.

 

[RedWolf]

If you knew the history of this thread, it’s been a lot worse than this.

I've been here for like a year and a half or two years and I was over at es since the beginning of time

 

[Califan007]

Me seeing the thread title in 2025:

 

[Boone]

I think what Kel is referring to is a poster we had who is no longer here who would literally insert his Taylor Heinicke obsession into every thread he could. It got so bad we finally had to move on from him. That was before you arrived.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I think what Kel is referring to is a poster we had who is no longer here who would literally insert his Taylor Heinicke obsession into every thread he could. It got so bad we finally had to move on from him. That was before you arrived.

I wonder if the poster was a dual board person, because there was one of those over at ES also.

And then there was Dr. Sabah who called into every radio show to pronounce Taylor the next Tom Brady.

And to answer your other question as to why he was polarizing, I actually had no problem with Taylor the person. What I had a problem with was being repeatedly told I was a moron for saying he didn't have the tools to be an NFL QB. Like when I would bring up the ways Heinicke was limited, and that there was a certain amount of luck to his success absent a few really good games. And it was always "but he beat Tom Brady and Russell Wilson, he's great. You don't get it. He has "it." We should extend him. Why are we looking for another QB. Yadda Yadda Yadda." It was more the Hive than the player for me, and I guess for some reason, I got stuck on it and it became a thing I just couldn't stand.

Ironic because I managed to stay out of the Cult of Colt debacle for the most part.

So that's why I still get into it over Heinicke.

 

[tomwvr]

I will say this TH was better than many of the other QBs we started over the last 15 years Even with his limited arm, and it was FUN to watch when we were awful ....
McNabb, Beck, McCoy,Johnson, Sanchez, Keenan, Haskins (RIP) Allen,Fitzpatrick, Gilbert...

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I will say this TH was better than many of the other QBs we started over the last 15 years Even with his limited arm, and it was FUN to watch when we were awful ....
McNabb, Beck, McCoy,Johnson, Sanchez, Keenan, Haskins (RIP) Allen,Fitzpatrick, Gilbert...

Agree to disagree. I found him excruciating to watch.

 

[tomwvr]

Agree to disagree. I found him excruciating to watch.

I disagree - he was not nearly as talented as many of those I listed but his style of play made him a better QB. And with his crazy hair on fire play it made it fun, even if the team was really bad.

 

[Knightingale]

I think TH was a light in the dark for a lot of fans. WE didn't really have much to cheer about for a long time and our QBs never worked out for one reason or another. In dark times there's a tendency to grab onto any source of light you can find, and for better or worse that Buccs playoff game made him a light.
For me, he was one of those players who was fairly terrible on a play to play basis, because you were always waiting for that interception streak to start, but sometimes he'd do something crazy that made you cheer. Like the pylon dives or the 'eyes-closed- Terry's down there somewhere' plays.
For what it's worth, I'll look back on his time with the team more fondly than many other QBs mentioned above by tomwvr

 

[AngryChuckT]

I think TH was a light in the dark for a lot of fans. WE didn't really have much to cheer about for a long time and our QBs never worked out for one reason or another. In dark times there's a tendency to grab onto any source of light you can find, and for better or worse that Buccs playoff game made him a light.
For me, he was one of those players who was fairly terrible on a play to play basis, because you were always waiting for that interception streak to start, but sometimes he'd do something crazy that made you cheer. Like the pylon dives or the 'eyes-closed- Terry's down there somewhere' plays.
For what it's worth, I'll look back on his time with the team more fondly than many other QBs mentioned above by tomwvr

We loved TH in our house for the reasons you mentioned. Was he a QB1? Absolutely not. Was he a QB 2? If you needed him for no more than 3 games, I would say yes. Ultimately to me, he was worthy of QB3 in the league because I have seen a lot worse QB3s across in my years as a fan.

Regardless, he made it fun to watch for a little while and the fans that were around will never forget him - unlike a number of QBs trotted out by this organization. The fact that we have JD5 and yet have this thread that keeps getting bumped up tells me TH is a worthy permanent entry into the lore of the Washington Redskins/Football Team/Commanders.