Heinicke first joined Washington during the 2020 season as the team's emergency quarterback. He got his first action under center in Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers, completing 12 of his 19 pass attempts for 137 yards and a touchdown. Two weeks later, he was tapped to be Washington's starting quarterback once Alex Smith was ruled inactive just hours before the team's Wild Card matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Despite the game being his first start in two years, Heinicke played well and kept Washington competitive with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, who went on to win the Super Bowl over the Kansas City Chiefs that year. The game also featured what became Heinicke's signature moment: a diving touchdown that just barely reached over the left pylon and put Washington two points from tying the score against the Buccaneers.
Although Washington lost the game, Heinicke's effort convinced the team to re-sign him for the 2021 season. He started the year as the backup, but starter Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a season-ending injury in the first quarter of the 2021 season-opener, leading to Heinicke becoming the starter for the rest of the season. He led the team to seven wins, including a rematch against the Buccaneers that featured Washington putting together a 19-play drive -- one of the longest in franchise history -- to keep the ball out of Brady's hands.
Heinicke was thrown into the starting lineup again during the 2022 season after Carson Wentz suffered a hand injury against the Chicago Bears in Week 6 and was placed on Injured Reserve. He then led the Commanders to win five of their next six games, including a primetime victory over the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles. He put together a dramatic comeback win against the Indianapolis Colts on the road that featured him completing a pass to Terry McLaurin at the 1-yard line and running in a quarterback sneak to take a one-point lead.
Heinicke went on to play for the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Chargers and appeared in nine games during that two-year span. He also spent time with the Panthers, New England Patriots, and Houston Texans, but his best moments on the field were certainly with Washington.
"For 25 years, I had the great pleasure to play this great sport of football," Heinicke wrote. "It has taught me a lot, not only about myself, but about life as well. \[There were\] 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."