Former Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is not ready to hang up his cleats just yet.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Fitzpatrick plans on playing in 2021. Rather than retire, Rapoport added that Fitzpatrick should have plenty of interest in free agency.
Fitzpatrick proved last season with the Miami Dolphins that he still has plenty of juice left in the tank. He went 4-3 as the starting quarterback and came in relief once to steal a victory over the Raiders in Week 16. That helped Miami keep its playoff hopes alive for another week.
Fitzpatrick had a 68.5 completion percentage to go along with 2,091 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also had 151 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns.
Fitzpatrick is far from being a cemented starter, but he is still a valuable backup. Hence the interest he’s sure to get on the open market.
The long-time journeyman quarterback has been on eight NFL teams over his 16-year career. Fitzpatrick was originally a seventh-round pick out of Harvard by the Rams in the 2005 NFL draft. He started in three games in his rookie season and went 0-3.
After two years with the Rams, Fitzpatrick was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals. He started in 12 games in two seasons and went 4-7-1 before signing with the Buffalo Bills in free agency in 2009. Fitzpatrick got more of an opportunity with the Bills as a starter in the four years he was there but never finished with a record above .500. Fitzpatrick spent 2013 with the Tennessee Titans and went 3-6. He then joined the Houston Texans in 2014 and had a 6-6 record with them.
The Jets traded for Fitzpatrick in 2015 with the expectation of him being the backup quarterback behind Geno Smith. Then IK Enemkpali broke Smith’s jaw in training camp. Fitzpatrick assumed the starting role and had a career year. He went 10-6 and threw for a career-high 3,905 yards and 31 touchdowns. However, Fitzpatrick and the Jets missed out on the postseason after losing to the Bills in the regular season finale.
New York rewarded Fitzpatrick with a one-year deal worth $12 million in 2016, but he didn’t play up to that contract. He went 3-8 and only threw for 2,710 yards, 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. The Jets chose not to keep Fitzpatrick for the following season.
Fitzpatrick played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018 and 2019 and started 10 games. The Dolphins then signed him to a two-year contract in 2019. Fitzpatrick went 5-8 in his first season with the Dolphins but did throw for 3,529 yards, 20 touchdowns and only 13 interceptions.
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