The Washington Commanders lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, and quarterback Marcus Mariota got dinged up in the process. Now, they'll be on a short week before facing the Dallas Cowboys at home on Christmas Day.
Mariota entered concussion protocol during the third quarter and also injured his hand. Josh Johnson relieved him and did not look like he belonged on an NFL field.
With Mariota's status questionable for Thursday, the Commanders have to act quickly. Even if the Hawaii native plays, they can't risk a situation in which Johnson or Sam Hartman could be forced into action again. There's an obvious move to make here, and it would provide some Christmas cheer during this nightmare season.
Options are slim among free agent quarterbacks right now, but one name sticks out: Taylor Heinicke.
Commanders could bring fans some Christmas cheer by signing Taylor Heinicke
Denton Day from The Team 980 is already getting the hype train rolling to bring back the passer who started 26 regular-season games for the franchise between 2020 and 2022, as well as the team's playoff matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January of 2021.
If Marcus Mariota can't play on Christmas, Denton has a WILD idea for the Commanders! pic.twitter.com/pmt4byydhQ
— The Team 980 (@team980) December 21, 2025
Heinicke was a fan favorite in Washington for the grit and swagger he brought to the field. He was an undrafted journeyman who carried a constant chip on his shoulder and always left it all on the field. His teammates got fired up for him, and despite his underwhelming stats, he had a knack for just finding ways to win games.
The local Old Dominion University product was signed away by the Atlanta Falcons in 2023 and then spent 2024 with the Los Angeles Chargers, who released him this past preseason. He has been unsigned since.
Heinicke might have a hard time suiting up on such short notice, but it's also not a very high bar to be able to play better than Johnson or Hartman. We knew back in the summer that neither of them should be on an NFL roster, and a move to upgrade the third-string quarterback position should have been made months ago.
Ideally, Mariota will be good to go, and this isn't very important anyway. Still, Heinicke would be a better insurance plan for the final two weeks. At the bare minimum, signing him would make fans feel good.
The Commanders would have nothing to lose by adding Heinicke. Maybe they decide to sit Mariota for Week 18 and play him after he's had a week to learn Kliff Kingsbury's playbook. He gets a walk-off win in Philadelphia against an Eagles team resting all its starters, and adds one final chapter to his folk-hero career in Washington.
It just makes too much sense. Give the people something to celebrate this Christmas, Adam Peters...
Bring Heinicke home.