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Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff Writer
Taylor Heinicke will replace Desmond Ridder as the Atlanta Falcons‘ starting quarterback on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, coach Arthur Smith announced Wednesday.
The Falcons decided last offseason to go with Ridder as their No. 1 quarterback and signed Heinicke to be a top-level backup in March. Heinicke has maintained — at the time of his signing and after Sunday’s loss — that it was Ridder’s team and that he was there to help as much as he could.
Heinicke, 30, made his first appearance with Atlanta on Sunday, completing 12 of 21 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown after replacing Ridder, who was tested for concussion symptoms.
Ridder was cleared but did not return Sunday, although Smith said the second-year quarterback was not pulled for performance issues.
Over the past three weeks, Ridder has committed seven turnovers — three interceptions and four fumbles lost — with four of those turnovers coming with Atlanta in the red zone. His six lost fumbles this season is the most by a Falcons player since Michael Vick in 2004.
In his career, Heinicke has played in 34 games — including 25 starts — with Houston, Carolina, Washington and Atlanta, completing 63.7% of his passes for 5,920 yards, with 35 touchdowns and 24 interceptions.
Ridder, 24, was drafted by the Falcons in the third round last year out of Cincinnati. In 12 career starts, he has completed 64.8% of his passes for 2,409 yards, with eight touchdowns and six interceptions.