LOS ANGELES, CA (WTKR)- Taylor Heinicke's next NFL chapter is taking him to the West Coast.
The Atlanta Falcons traded the Old Dominion product to the Los Angeles Chargers for a conditional sixth-round draft pick, according to multiple reports, including ESPN and The Athletic.
Heinicke was named to Atlanta's initial 53-man roster coming out of training camp, but was facing an uphill climb to get playing time behind Kirk Cousins and first round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. He'll head to LA to serve as Justin Herbert's back-up, a role that's become more critical after Herbert missed two weeks of training camp with a plantar fascia injury in his right foot. Heinicke gives the Chargers a reliable option in the event Herbert's injury lingers.
The former Monarch's NFL journey has taken him all over the place. He joined the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and has seen time with the Patriots, Texans, Panthers and Commanders before arriving in Atlanta. He started 24 games in Washington, going 12-11-1. Heinicke saw four starts during his lone season with the Falcons, posting a 1-3 record.
In Los Angeles, he'll take the field for a team led by Jim Harbaugh, a former quarterback himself. Harbaugh is in the first season of his NFL return, after a nine year stay as the head coach at the University of Michigan.
Heinicke is the most decorated quarterback in Old Dominion history. His 14,959 career passing yards are the most in program history by far, as are his 132 passing touchdowns. He threw for 730 yards in a single game against New Hampshire on September 22, 2012, completing 55 passes.
