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Taylor Heinicke Grew Up Idolizing Another Vikings QB -- Brett Favre

MANKATO, Minn. (WCCO) -- Taylor Heinicke is a quarterback. He grew up and gravitated to the position.

"You kind of just want to do it. You want to have the responsibilities, have the power and the free reins to really tell people to do what they do and place people in certain positions if they're wrong and stuff like that," Heinicke said.

Taylor Heinicke
(credit: CBS)

The goal in training camp: Prove you have command of all phases

"He is a smaller quarterback, but outside of talking about his legs, we all know he can run. But he has some zip on the ball and he's a very smart guy," wide receiver Jarius Wright said.

Heinicke's game is a bit different, like so many quarterbacks that come into the NFL. It's about hurry up, and oh yeah, wait your turn. That's the way it works -- in his world.

"I think every quarterback can kind of attest to that. At some point in their life, you know usually they're the man throughout high school and college and then you get to this level and then you sit back and watch," Heinicke said. "Again for me, I started junior year of high school and senior year, and then started four years of college and then get here, and you're third string."

Because he grew up wanting to be like a quarterback who played for the Vikings and never played in Mankato: Brett Favre.

"Just seeing the passion he had for the game, how much fun he had out there," Heinicke said. "He was kind of a gunslinger and he liked getting hit. It was just fun watching him. He's one of the main reasons I played football."

 

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