The Washington Commanders have five home games remaining for the 2022 regular season. However, that doesn’t mean the Commanders — and every other NFL team — aren’t already preparing for 2023.
The Commanders, advertising season tickets for 2023, used a curious image to promote those packages. Washington used a photo of quarterback Taylor Heinicke on the season-ticket promotion.
Nothing wrong with that, right? After all, Heinicke is the current starting quarterback, while Carson Wentz remains out with an injury.
What makes this curious is Heinicke isn’t under contract for 2023. Wentz, the injured starter who is eligible to return by Week 11, has two years remaining on his contract.
Welcome to FedEx Field, where the #Commanders are using Taylor Heinicke’s photo in ads for 2023 season tickets. We’re live up to kickoff against the #Vikings on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/ZucbaDDXq5
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 6, 2022
Was Washington telling us something with this advertisement?
Likely not.
Head coach Ron Rivera is the team’s head of football operations. He hired general manager Martin Mayhew. And it is doubtful that the business office checked with Rivera on whose picture to use in advertisements for season tickets.
Rivera has more important things to worry about than who buys season tickets.
As for Wentz, he was on the field before Washington’s Week 9 game against the Minnesota Vikings, testing his injured finger.
If Heinicke continues to play well, it’s unlikely Rivera will bench him when Wentz is ready to return.