Taylor Heinicke goes from watching Jim Harbaugh documentary to playing for him on the Chargers

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Taylor Heinicke was watching Netflix last Wednesday night when he got a call from Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris telling him he had been traded to the Los Angeles Chargers.

“Oh, that’s funny. ‘Cause I was just watching Jim Harbaugh,” Heinicke told Morris.

Ironically, the veteran quarterback watched a 90-minute documentary about Connor Stallions and the sign-stealing controversy at the University of Michigan last season. Less than 24 hours later, he met with Harbaugh and learned what he expected.

“Meeting Jim, I think he exceeded all expectations. It’s really cool to be around him, I’m so excited to work for him,” Heinicke said of Harbaugh, who led Michigan to a national title last season but was suspended for three games over sign-stealing allegations. Harbaugh continues to deny he knew what the Stallions were doing.

Heinicke, who will be the backup for Justin Herbert, took part in his first practice on Monday as the Chargers began preparing for Sunday’s opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Chargers are Heinicke’s fifth team in seven seasons. Heinicke started the 2020 NFC wild-card playoff game for Washington against Tampa Bay after Alex Smith was sidelined with a calf injury. He was 26-of-44 for 306 yards, one TD pass and one interception in a 31-23 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions.

Heinicke’s best season came in 2021 with Washington, when he started 15 games and passed for 3,419 yards and 20 touchdowns. He stepped into the starting lineup after Ryan Fitzpatrick injured his hip in Week 1 against the Chargers.

“It’s kind of crazy because that was the game that set the stage for a better career for me. I had that whole season and then nine games the next season. So that kind of started it all,” Heinicke said.

Heinicke signed with Atlanta as a free agent in 2023 and started five games. However, his future with the Falcons was uncertain after Kirk Cousins ​​signed during free agency and Michael Penix Jr. was selected in the first round of the draft.

Heinicke gives the Chargers a veteran starter in case Herbert is injured. Herbert missed two weeks of training camp with a plantar fascia injury in his right foot but has practiced the past two weeks.

Herbert missed the final four games of last season with a sore finger on his throwing hand. He also has had rib and non-throwing shoulder injuries over the past two seasons.

“I like him and his body of work,” Harbaugh said of Heinicke. “When he’s the quarterback of a team, they’re competitive. He throws with good accuracy and plays his game.”

Harbaugh made it clear that his expectations for Heinicke and Easton Stick are different than what they expect from Herbert.

Acquiring Heinicke and watching Stick throughout the preseason made Harbaugh realize that one mold can’t fit all quarterbacks and that he needs to have a different game plan ready if Heinicke is called upon.

Which is absolutely fine with Heinicke.

“Justin has a knack for the arm that Easton and I don’t have, and that’s just the truth,” Heinicke said. “So if we were to go out there and try to be like him, I don’t think that’s our best football. I like that they recognized that and that we just have to go out there and play our best game.”