Former Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Announces His Retirement

Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke has officially announced his retirement from the NFL. The Collins Hill (Lawrenceville, GA) graduate made the news official on his personal Instagram account, thanking the players, coaches, and teams who supported him. 

"For 25 years, I had the pleasure to play this great sport of football," Heinicke wrote on Instagram. "It has taught me a lot, not only about myself but about life as well. Many ups and downs throughout the years, but the ups outweigh the downs tenfold. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would've been able to live this life,” Heinicke wrote. 

“​​Thank you to all who have supported me in this journey. Thank you to all who have believed in me. And thank you to those who gave me the opportunity to live out my childhood dream. Excited for this next chapter of my life!”

Heinicke, 33, became a fan favorite during his improbable seven-year career, spending one season with the Falcons. He started 29 NFL games and appeared in 42 during his career. He threw for 6,663 yards, 39 touchdowns, and 28 interceptions.

The Georgia native spent his first season in the NFL after going undrafted out of Old Dominion in 2015, but signed a free-agent deal with the Vikings. 

He spent his early years bouncing around among the Patriots, Texans, and Panthers in the NFL before signing with the St. Louis BattleHawks of the United Football League. Heinicke’s career hit the accelerator in 2020 when he was promoted to the Commanders’ active roster and started games for them, including the Wild Card round against the Buccaneers.

Even though he was making his second career start, Heinicke accounted for 352 total yards and two touchdowns. That playoff performance led to him re-signing with the Commanders that offseason, during which he would rotate between starting and backing up. 

He departed in free agency, joining Arthur Smith and the Falcons in 2023. In Atlanta, he would replace a struggling Desmond Ridder in Week 8 against the Titans. He recorded 175 passing yards, 14 rushing yards, and a passing touchdown in the loss, and Smith named him the starter for Week 9. 

His performances would fluctuate, but an injured hamstring cost him his starting job in November, before more struggles from Ridder restored his status. He finished his time in Atlanta with five games, completing 54.4% of his passes for 890 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions. 

The Falcons traded him to the Chargers that offseason for a conditional 2025 draft pick. He would spend the next two seasons as Justin Herbert’s backup before announcing his retirement. 

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