The dolphins have settled down Ryan Fitzpatrick in the middle of a season that ended with the veteran quarterback hiring COVID-19. But the traveled passer still played a key role in the Dolphins’ success and would like to return for a 17th season in 2021.
GM dolphins Chris Grier was evasive about Fitzpatrick’s status with the franchise, which has since been associated with Deshaun Watson after proclaiming Your Tagovailoa its 2021 starter. But it looks like Fitz will be open to joining a ninth team – or perhaps returning to one of the previous franchises that employed him – next season.
“This off-season, we’ve seen it with [Jared] Goff and [Matthew] Stafford obviously, ”Said Fitzpatrick during an appearance at the The Pat McAfee Show (via South Florida Sun-Sentinel). “Who knows what will happen to Deshaun? There are rumors everywhere in the quarterback market, but there are many teams looking for a new quarterback or new quarterbacks.
“For me personally, I have to take each off-season and reevaluate. These past two years have really rekindled the fire under me. I still want to play and I like to play outside. “
Fitzpatrick played an unusual role in his 38-year season. The Dolphins put it on the bench for Tagovailoa, but twice put it into play as a delayed relief option. The second instance produced a last-second victory against the Raiders. Fitz’s late 1930s featured snippets of production that would make him, at worst, a viable reserve candidate for the coming season. He led a much worse 2019 Dolphin team, with five wins and an average of 9.6 yards per attempt as a part-time starter for the 2018 Buccaneers.
The Harvard alum has played for the Rams, Bengals, Bills, Titans, Texans, Jets, Bucs and Dolphins since he was drafted in the seventh round of 2005. The Dolphins signed a two-year contract with Fitz for $ 11 million in 2019 , and he opened the last two seasons as a team holder in the last 10 choices (Tagovailoa and Josh Rosen) Dolphins can extend Fitzpatrick until the start of the new league year and can obviously hire him again after the March date. If it reaches the market, it will be interesting to see what kind of external interest develops.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.