Ron Rivera Presser: ‘We’re headed up, we’re on the way up.’

Washington Football Team | Postgame Press Conference https://t.co/PLNiszpFm0

— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) January 10, 2021

Rivera on Taylor Heinicke: "It was gutsy. It really was. A guy like him, that works hard at what he does, he created an opportunity for himself and we'll see what happens."

— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) January 10, 2021

Rivera on Taylor: "I'm very proud of what he did, competing how he did."

— George Wallace (@GWallaceWTOP) January 10, 2021

Ron Rivera to his team after the game: "The last stretch that we went through kind of showed us what we can become."

"I told the guys, 'We're headed up, we're on the way up.'"

— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) January 10, 2021

Rivera: "It shows us who we can become and it's up to us. ... I told the guys, we're headed up. There's a lot of positives."

— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) January 10, 2021

Rivera said Taylor did something to his shoulder when he lunged for the touchdown

— George Wallace (@GWallaceWTOP) January 10, 2021

Ron Rivera on Alex Smith. Said Alex thought "he couldn't escape" pass rushers with his calf. Felt bad for Smith. "He's a he'll of a man."

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) January 10, 2021

Rivera said he felt Alex Smith couldn't properly escape. He said he hated having to make Smith inactive, but felt he would have been too limited.

— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) January 10, 2021

Ron Rivera said the defense had its moments (forcing three field goals in the red zone, Daron Payne's forced fumble).

But in the end, the unit gave up to much. 507 yards of total offense and 31 points allowed.

— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) January 10, 2021

It was supposed to be a 'mortar kick" or a "chip kick" and they thought they found a dead area -- so that's why they did the onside/pooch kick that backfired. #WashingtonFootball

— Chris Russell AKA The Rooster (@Russellmania621) January 10, 2021

On the onside kick: Rivera said they wanted it to be more of a chip shot. wanted it to fall between a "dead area" between a DL and an OL in the block unit. Then hope their speed could get to the ball...

— John Keim (@john_keim) January 10, 2021

Ron Rivera on the officiating: "If I say anything, I get in trouble. I can't complain about the missed call when we carried the ball into the endzone."

— Sam Fortier (@Sam4TR) January 10, 2021

Ron Rivera not happy with the officiating as you would imagine.

He says he can't complain about the botched Troy Apke touchback rule or some of the other missed calls.

Says "we'll address it with the league." #NFL #WashingtonFootball

— Chris Russell AKA The Rooster (@Russellmania621) January 10, 2021

Ron Rivera: "If we can grow and get better and add on pieces, we have a shot next year. We will be fun to watch. I'm just glad we were able to get the DMV something to cheer about. I promise you one thing: We'll show up and we'll play hard."

— John Keim (@john_keim) January 10, 2021

Kendall Fuller is addressing the media right now. He wants to give the Buccaneers credit, but there were also some moments where they made some mistakes. When playoff football starts, you have to lock in.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

Kendall Fuller on Brady: "He made the throws he needed to make."

— George Wallace (@GWallaceWTOP) January 10, 2021

Fuller wants Washington to learn from this game and grow from it. Mentioned how the Chiefs lost in the AFC Championship in his first season with Kansas City and lost, and the team used that experience to go to the Super Bowl the following year.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

We're definitely heading in the right direction, Fuller said.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

Kendall Fuller on Heinicke: "...definitely motivated the whole team."

— John Keim (@john_keim) January 10, 2021

McLaurin: "I'll take No. 4 any day of the week. Twice on Sundays. ... That dude plays with no fear."

— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) January 10, 2021

Terry McLaurin is addressing the media. He didn't know much about Heinicke, but he gained McLaurin's respect. He took the responsibility in a moment's notice and took advantage of his opportunities.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

More from McLaurin on Taylor Heinicke: "He's a baller. He has the heart of the lion. ... He's a man of a few words, but his actions speak volumes. He was one of our leaders out there on the field."

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) January 10, 2021

McLaurin isn't focused on what's next right now. He's just taking in the moments of this season because he likes the group Washington has right now. He thinks the team is on the right track.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

Terry McLaurin: "We have a lot of guys who are hungry, and we just have to put it together."

— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) January 10, 2021

Terry McLaurin on #WashingtonFootball --
"By no means are we happy with the result. We're not here for participation trophies."

— Chris Russell AKA The Rooster (@Russellmania621) January 10, 2021

McLaurin said it took a lot of treatment, mental toughness and prayer to get through these past few weeks.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

"I couldn't end this season not playing. ... I'd do it twice over." Terry McLaurin on playing through injuries

— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) January 10, 2021

Terry McLaurin on this year's @WashingtonNFL team:
"Every single game, we fought to the end."

— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) January 10, 2021

McLaurin said the team didn't know what to expect from this season. He respects how the team fought to the end and the players are hungry to turn the team around.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

Daron Payne this year's @WashingtonNFL team:
"I was very excited with the way the team competed this season when things were going bad. ...I'm really excited to see what we're going to bring to the table next year."

— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) January 10, 2021

DT Daron Payne: "If we made it out with a win, I would’ve been way happier than I am now."

— Sam Fortier (@Sam4TR) January 10, 2021

Payne said Ryan Kerrigan is a player you can emulate. You can learn so much by watching how he carries himself.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

Payne said Heinicke went out and did what he had to do. He played hard and competed, and he's proud of the quarterback for that.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

Morgan Moses on Taylor Heinicke "The guy's an awesome football player........He has that it factor. You just can't teach that."

— Chris Russell AKA The Rooster (@Russellmania621) January 10, 2021

Moses doesn't know why Heinicke was out of the league before Washington signed him, but he's glad the team got him.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

Moses appreciates every player in the locker room. No one gave them a chance, he said, and they have been through a lot this season. This has been one of his most fun seasons. The future is bright, he said.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

Morgan Moses: "It's probably been one of my funnest years playing football."

"I feel great about the players that we have, and the building we'll do this offseason" with free agency and the draft.

— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) January 10, 2021

Moses said a lot of players put a lot on the line. He's proud to be a part of this Washington team and be a part of the culture.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

Morgan Moses: "I'm just happy to be a part of this team and be a part of this culture."

When asked if he's felt like this before, he said, "it's been a long time."

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) January 10, 2021

Moses said he has probably been a part of more talented teams, but he wouldn't trade this team for the world because of how hard they work and put everything on the line.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

Never heard guys praise a teammate quite like Washington's players praised Taylor Heinicke on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/y1FHbJaZGZ

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) January 10, 2021

Taylor Heinicke on 2021 season- “I love Ron. I want to be back in Washington.”

— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) January 10, 2021

Taylor Heinicke says he had an AC joint separation in his shoulder, but wanted to finish the game. pic.twitter.com/dQ0Ce8MTCZ

— michael phillips (@michaelpRTD) January 10, 2021

Taylor Heinicke said that, when he dove for the pylon, he felt "a click or a pop" in his shoulder. He didn't feel great, but he "went back there and gutted it out." He played through a separated AC joint in his left shoulder.

— Sam Fortier (@Sam4TR) January 10, 2021

Heinicke said he won't need surgery on his left shoulder. "It just hurts like hell right now."

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) January 10, 2021

Taylor Heinicke is addressing the media right now. A lot of people have asked him about going against Brady. He didn't focus on that this week. All he was concerned about was doing his job.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

Taylor on what he proved: "Hopefully that I deserve to be in this league a little longer. I want to be in the NFL."

— George Wallace (@GWallaceWTOP) January 10, 2021

Heinicke said he tried to give Logan Thomas a shot on the fourth down, but taking a sack on third down made things tough.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

Taylor Heinicke still has to take his final exams at ODU.

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) January 10, 2021

Taylor Heinicke said he knew yesterday that he'd be the starter for today's game

— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) January 10, 2021

Heinicke said he was speed training and preparing like he was going to play before signing with Washington. Said he tries to take parts of Russell Wilson and Drew Brees' skillset and add that to his own.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

And another guy to the Alex Smith Mentoring List: Taylor Heinicke. pic.twitter.com/BCPzbO0ijR

— michael phillips (@michaelpRTD) January 10, 2021

Heinicke has not checked his phone right now, but it's sure to be full of notifications since he was trending on social media for his performance. Players like Patrick Mahomes were treaking about him, and he thought that was a pretty cool moment.

— Zach Selby (@ZachDSelby) January 10, 2021

Taylor Heinicke, who was blowing up on social media all night, says he hasn't really checked his texts yet and doesn't plan on checking them all until tomorrow.

"It's been a late night, I'm hurting right now. I kind of just want to go home and fall asleep."

— Kyle Stackpole (@kylefstackpole) January 10, 2021

Taylor Heinicke says he & @PatrickMahomes are repped by the same agency and he appreciates the support. Says he might have to text the #Chiefs superstar QB and take some tips from him. #WashingtonFootball

— Chris Russell AKA The Rooster (@Russellmania621) January 10, 2021