Commanders’ Taylor Heinicke puts $125k win bonus to awesome use

The Washington Commanders don’t have a quarterback controversy. At least not yet. If Taylor Heinicke leads the team to a second straight win (third overall) in Indianapolis this weekend, Ron Rivera will have to answer some tough questions.

While winning is ultimately the bottom line, Heinicke will have to show more consistency in games to keep the job when Carson Wentz is healthy.

In the first half, Heinicke went 7-of-17 for 40 yards, a pick-six and five turnover-worthy plays, according to PFF. In the second half, he went 13-of-16 for 161 yards, two touchdowns, two big-time throws and a 86.6 player grade.

It was a Jekyll and Hyde performance from Heinicke, who’s found himself at the epicenter of Washington Football again. What made Sunday’s win all the more memorable for Heinicke, though, was the fact he grew up rooting for the Packers with his late father and idolizing two-time reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers.

For every win Washington posts with Heinicke under center, the quarterback becomes $125,000 richer thanks to an incentive in his contract.

How is Heinicke putting this money to use? By buying a pair of Jordans that match the colors of the team he just defeated.

Commanders’ Taylor Heinicke uses $125k win bonus to buy Packers-themed Jordans.

Heinicke pockets a $125k bonus every time he plays 60% of the snaps in a Washington win. After leading the Commanders to a 7-8 record in 15 starts last season, Heinicke earned $875,000 strictly in win bonuses. Per ESPN’s John keim, Heinicke can earn up to $1.5 million in bonuses this year, which is how much he earned last season when accounting for all of his incentives.

That $1.5 million was $500,000 more than his base salary. This year, Heinicke’s base salary jumped to $1.5 million so the Old Dominion product could be in for a handsome paycheck at season’s end if he continues to rack up wins.

“Every time we get the win, when I’m in the training room the next day I always buy myself a pair of [Jordans],” Heinicke said, via Keim.

“Tomorrow I’ll probably buy myself green and yellow Js.”

That’s exactly what Heinicke did. On Monday, Heinicke delivered on his promise and posted the flamboyant Jordans to his Instagram story.

You can guarantee Heinicke is repping those all week in the weight room. The green and yellow color scheme isn’t exactly versatile in terms of outfit matching, but that could change if Heinicke leads the Commanders to a win over the Colts on Sunday. A blue and white pair of Js would go with just about anything.

And that game became a lot more winnable after Indy announced second-year gunslinger Sam Ehlinger will start for the benched Matt Ryan.