NORFOLK, Va. — It's not hard to find Taylor Heinicke in the 757 even almost a decade after his days at Old Dominion.
"When I talk about Norfolk and ODU and the 757 area its really my home away from home."
It's the place that gave him a chance, paving the way to a career in the NFL. Heinicke has returned to the area a few times over the past couple of months. He attended ODU's spring game in April, signed autographs in Virginia Beach this weekend, and he'll return next month to host his annual football camp at Virginia Wesleyan.
I caught up with Heinicke on Saturday at the Virginia Beach sports card, comic, and collectibles show where he was an autograph guest. As he begins a new season with the Atlanta Falcons, his days sporting the blue and silver are still some of his greatest memories.
"I don't think we lost to a Virginia team while I was there and that's a really special deal."
Heinicke has seen the growth of the ODU football program first hand from being a small FCS level school to a strong FBS program which recently had a record three players selected in the 2023 NFL draft.
"When I got here the program was in its third year in existence and to see what it is now, you have Rick Lovato whose a Super Bowl champion and Zach Pascal is doing great things. To see these guys come through ODU and go to the NFL, its really cool."
Norfolk was lucky enough to watch Heinicke blossom with the Monarchs and eventually wave a bittersweet goodbye to the undrafted rookie in 2015. Eight years later, Commanders fans are experiencing the same loss after Heinicke nearly led Washington to the playoffs last season. I asked Heinicke what he'd miss most about his time there.
"I'd say the fans and the guys on the team," he said. "That locker room was a special locker room and it was probably the coolest one I've been a part of in all my years of football."
Now its the Falcons turn to embrace Heinicke, an easy task with him being an Atlanta native.
"To go back home, its hard to beat that. I'm within 10 minutes of family and kind of get to live where I grew up so its pretty neat."
Whether his home away from home in Norfolk, or his real home in Atlanta, its hard not to appreciate someone like Heinicke who has genuine gratitude for the place it all began.
"Every time I come back here they make it feel like home. There's a lot of special memories I've had here so its a really special place for me and anytime I can give back and do anything for these guys I'm more then willing to do it."