Ron Rivera Won't Commit To A Starting QB

The Washington Commanders have a very fluid quarterback situation.

Taylor Heinicke has been under center while Carson Wentz healed up from a finger injury, but now that the former second overall pick is ready to roll, fans want to know who Ron Rivera will tap as the team's leading man.

Right now, he's not ready to say, but once a decision is made, the team will be fully behind whoever the choice is.

"You have to look at the momentum and what the mood of the team is. There are a lot of factors ... You look at what is best for the team and that's how it has to be. There's a great saying, 'You treat everyone the same, you treat everyone fair but you treat everyone according to the team. So the decision will be made about the team first and foremost. Whoever the starter is I will commit to them fully. I don't want them looking over their shoulder," Rivera explained to the media, according to ESPN.

Should it be Heinicke or Wentz for the Commanders?

Prior to getting hurt, Wentz was 2-4 in games he started in. He passed for 1,489 yards, 10 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Things definitely weren't going well with him starting for the Commanders.

Meanwhile, Heinicke is 3-1 in starts, and while his stats aren't eye-popping, he is winning. In his four starts this season, He has 840 passing yards, five passing touchdowns and four interceptions. There's nothing spectacular about his numbers, but the team is 3-1 with him leading the way. That's ultimately the only stat that matters.

Add in the fact the Commanders seem to have rallied around Heinicke, and it's not hard to understand why Rivera might stick with him.

To be clear, Wentz certainly has more physical attributes than Heinicke. He's bigger, possesses a bigger arm and has much more experience.

However, none of that might outweigh the fact the Commanders are rolling under Heinicke.

Sticking with the hot hand, even if Heinicke isn't putting up monster stats, is likely the outcome we'll see.

Written by
David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture. He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics. Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.