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Fitz paying it forward in mentoring young QBs


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This was a big part of why I wanted Fitz back.  I knew that if he failed, he wouldn't leave the kids to figure it out on their own.

These kids need a mentor who has effectively run the exact offense they're learning.

post-benching tantrum aside, this is what a real leader does.

Go get 'em Bryce!

 

http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/65441/jets-ryan-fitzpatrick-pays-it-forward-to-bryce-petty-who-gets-dream-shot

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Bryce Pettythought he knew Ryan Fitzpatrick after spending last season at his side, watching, listening and learning. They also hung out for a couple of days in the offseason at Fitzpatrick's Arizona home, playing golf, shooting hoops and studying X's and O's.

Then, at the start of training camp, Petty happened to be present when Fitzpatrick met Christian Hackenbergfor the first time. The veteran quarterback greeted the rookie QB with a hug, making an impression on Petty.

"He didn't even know him," Petty said months later, incredulously. "It's things like that, you can tell relationships are important to him. That's how he was brought up in the league. It's kind of like a pay-it-forward deal."

Fitzpatrick has mentored Petty for 20 months, the way veterans such as Marc Bulger and Carson Palmer helped Fitzpatrick along years ago as a young quarterback. The dynamics of the Fitzpatrick-Petty relationship changed this week, as they reversed roles. Fitzpatrick wasn't happy about the demotion, but he's thrilled for Petty, who will start for the New York Jets on the road Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.

"There can't be any ego involved," Fitzpatrick said Wednesday. "I want to see him do well. He's put in a tremendous amount of work and I'm excited for him and his opportunity."

They have what Petty described as a little brother-big brother relationship. Petty is 25, Fitzpatrick 34. The season hasn't gone well for Fitzpatrick, who has been benched twice, but he has remained a willing teacher for Petty and Hackenberg -- 12 hours a day, every day.

For instance: While watching tape of the opposing defense, Fitzpatrick will hit pause and ask Petty to predict what will happen on the play.

"I'll say it and he'll say it, and he'll be right," Petty said, smiling.

Fitzpatrick is a smart dude, not only because he graduated from Harvard. When you play 12 years for six different teams, you're going to pick up a few tricks along the way. Petty marvels at the way Fitzpatrick can look at a defender on tape, detect a "tell" and determine whether he'll rush or drop into coverage.

In practice, Fitzpatrick spices up seemingly mundane drills by making up a defensive coverage and calling it out. For example, when the quarterbacks are throwing individual routes to receivers, Fitzpatrick will say something like, "Cover 1, outside leverage." That, Petty said, gives purpose to the throw and the route. It makes him think.

"He's just a good guy," Petty said. "That might be rare, especially in our position because only one guy can be out there. Sometimes that competitiveness can get the best of us, but he's been awesome since the beginning."

Fitzpatrick is a perfectionist. If quarterbacks coach Kevin Patullo makes a grammatical error in his scouting report, which gets distributed to the players, he can be sure Fitzpatrick will point it out in the meeting room.

"It helps that he's so dang smart, but his attention to detail is over and above," Petty said. "That's something I can really pull from."

Petty has been waiting for this shot since the day he was drafted in 2015. There have been bumps along the way -- he was blindsided when the Jets drafted Hackenberg in this year's second round -- but Petty keeps pushing. He's known as one of the hardest workers on the team. Typically, he arrives at the facility at 5 a.m. He heads directly to the weight room.

"The first person I see every day is Bryce Petty, because he's the first one in every day," receiver Brandon Marshall said. "Last year, he was fat and overweight. Fitz picked on him all year. His body has changed. He's ripped up; he has abs."

A year ago, Marshall said he and Antonio Cromartie were always the first two players in the facility. Now it's Petty, who recognizes that this opportunity might not happen again. It's a four-game audition, a chance to show team brass he's worthy of being considered for the starting job next season. It won't be easy.

Petty is raw, especially reading coverages, something he didn't have to do in college. He also tends to rush through his progressions. In case you haven't noticed, it's not as though he'll be joining The Greatest Show on Turf. There will be growing pains.

"Bryce is a great kid," Fitzpatrick said. "He comes in every day with the right attitude. That's half the battle. His willingness to come in early, to ask the right questions, to not ask questions when he shouldn't ... he's great with that stuff."

When Fitzpatrick invited Petty to visit during the offseason, ostensibly to talk football, it turned into more than that. It was a bonding period. They shot baskets, with Fitzpatrick reporting, "He's a horrible basketball player. He doesn't have a very good jump shot."

They also played two rounds of golf. Fitzpatrick won those, too. Petty said he didn't practice enough while he was home in Texas.

"I'm going to venture to say I'll be better than him this offseason," Petty said, smiling. "I just need at-bats."

Finally, he's getting them on the football field. The organization, and its fan base, will have their desperate eyes fixed on him for the next four weeks.The 

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25 minutes ago, Jetsplayer21 said:

It does amaze me how smart someone can be, but make the dumbest mistakes even a Neanderthal wouldn't.. It's too bad Fitzpatrick's film watching ability could never transfer to real life football.. 

Fitz lacks the overall talent to be a consistently successful QB. That's his biggest problem. He takes risks on the field as well, and someone with his limitations shouldn't. But I'm sure he's the type of guy whose smart enough to recognize his mistakes on film when he sees them. He'll be a good mentor to Petty and Hack for his remainder here.

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Good report

Good that Fitz is remaining a team player, working hard and using his experience to try and make both Petty and Hack into viable and successful NFL QBs.

Much different than the other alleged QB on the team who sel stormed out when his own stupidity caused him to be replaced in the first place and has spent all the time since then sulking at the other end of the bench.

My guess is that Geno doesn't even know who Petty and Hackenberg are and wouldn't take a second out of his self proclaimed" working like a bull" to lift a selfish finger to help either of them.

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18 minutes ago, JetFanWithNOPSL2017 said:

Good report

Good that Fitz is remaining a team player, working hard and using his experience to try and make both Petty and Hack into viable and successful NFL QBs.

Much different than the other alleged QB on the team who sel stormed out when his own stupidity caused him to be replaced in the first place and has spent all the time since then sulking at the other end of the bench.

My guess is that Geno doesn't even know who Petty and Hackenberg are and wouldn't take a second out of his self proclaimed" working like a bull" to lift a selfish finger to help either of them.
 

Seems like a lot speculation here with no real facts to back it up .. how do u know what kinda relationship Geno has with the other QBs? 

Secondly it's  a lot easier to play mentor when 30+ and on the backend of your career. Than it would be when your 25 and still trying to make it in the league .. when the guy ur mentoring is the same age as you..

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I support any and all criticism of Fitz's play on the field this year.  He has failed.

But three things I do not question Fitz about, his effort (he gives 110%, even when the team is giving >50% of late), his desire (he wants to win and it shows and he sacrifices himself to do it) and his team-first attitude in doing the little things (like mentoring to the best of his ability Petty and Hack).

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37 minutes ago, JetFanWithNOPSL2017 said:

Good report

Good that Fitz is remaining a team player, working hard and using his experience to try and make both Petty and Hack into viable and successful NFL QBs.

Much different than the other alleged QB on the team who sel stormed out when his own stupidity caused him to be replaced in the first place and has spent all the time since then sulking at the other end of the bench.

My guess is that Geno doesn't even know who Petty and Hackenberg are and wouldn't take a second out of his self proclaimed" working like a bull" to lift a selfish finger to help either of them.
 

So you want a 12 year journeyman who's been with 6 teams and has never made the playoffs mentoring our young QB's. Wow just wow.

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2 minutes ago, August said:

It's funny how Fitzpatrick's selfish behavior gets brushed aside but whenever Geno does something wrong it's what defines him as a person. 

Geno is gone mate, and Fitz will be soon, stop living in the make-believe past where they are equally immature and selfish, eh.

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19 minutes ago, Warfish said:

But three things I do not question Fitz about, his effort (he gives 110%, even when the team is giving >50% of late), his desire (he wants to win and it shows and he sacrifices himself to do it) and his team-first attitude in doing the little things (like mentoring to the best of his ability Petty and Hack).

Agreed.

I believe that Fitzpatrick will be resigned next year as our backup.  He's the perfect transitional QB for the role, he's respected in the locker room, he's non-disruptive, and I have a hunch he doesn't want to pull his 5 kids out of school to go join some other desperate team right now.

SAR I

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18 minutes ago, August said:

It's funny how Fitzpatrick's selfish behavior gets brushed aside but whenever Geno does something wrong it's what defines him as a person. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick has done nothing selfish this year, nothing even remotely close to the laundry list of anti-Jets nonsense Geno Smith pulled.

The worst you could say about Fitz is that when told he was being benched he gave his honest reaction which we all knew anyway, hardly any motive behind it.

SAR I

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21 minutes ago, joewilly12 said:

So you want a 12 year journeyman who's been with 6 teams and has never made the playoffs mentoring our young QB's. Wow just wow.

"Mentoring" is helping them to just to NFL life, how to be a man, how to be a leader, how to be smart with your money, how to talk to the media, how to behave.  Ryan Fitzpatrick is extremely well-qualified in this regard.

He's not a quarterback coach.  He's not going to teach them technique.

SAR I

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3 minutes ago, SAR I said:

Agreed.

I believe that Fitzpatrick will be resigned next year as our backup.  He's the perfect transitional QB for the role, he's respected in the locker room, he's non-disruptive, and I have a hunch he doesn't want to pull his 5 kids out of school to go join some other desperate team right now.

SAR I

 

1 minute ago, SAR I said:

Ryan Fitzpatrick has done nothing selfish this year, nothing even remotely close to the laundry list of anti-Jets nonsense Geno Smith pulled.

The worst you could say about Fitz is that when told he was being benched he gave his honest reaction which we all knew anyway, hardly any motive behind it.

SAR I

Did you happen to miss the presser where he basically called out the organization acted like child. 

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Just now, SAR I said:

"Mentoring" is helping them to just to NFL life, how to be a man, how to be a leader, how to be smart with your money, how to talk to the media, how to behave.  Ryan Fitzpatrick is extremely well-qualified in this regard.

He's not a quarterback coach.  He's not going to teach them technique.

SAR I

This "mentor" also leads the NFL in INT's 

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26 minutes ago, Warfish said:

Geno is gone mate, and Fitz will be soon, stop living in the make-believe past where they are equally immature and selfish, eh.

That's not the point. 

 

12 minutes ago, SAR I said:

Ryan Fitzpatrick has done nothing selfish this year, nothing even remotely close to the laundry list of anti-Jets nonsense Geno Smith pulled.

The worst you could say about Fitz is that when told he was being benched he gave his honest reaction which we all knew anyway, hardly any motive behind it.

SAR I

He's done nothing selfish this year? That's funny. 

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1 hour ago, joewilly12 said:

Did you happen to miss the presser where he basically called out the organization acted like child. 

That's your misperception.

Did you happen to miss the presser where after he was informed that he was being benched and became a backup rushed into duty he gave an honest assessment that life is tough as a journeyman when the front office loses faith in you?

Did you happen to miss the presser just this past Sunday seconds after he was told he was being benched by a lowly assistant where he covered for his head coach and did not act anything like a child?

Fitz may suck as a quarterback, he's a great team leader and sets a good example.

SAR I

 

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1 hour ago, SAR I said:

Agreed.

I believe that Fitzpatrick will be resigned next year as our backup.  He's the perfect transitional QB for the role, he's respected in the locker room, he's non-disruptive, and I have a hunch he doesn't want to pull his 5 kids out of school to go join some other desperate team right now.

SAR I

If we retain Petty and Hack, fine, he can be the "#2" and in reality be the #3, if the price is right.

If we draft another QB and dump Petty, so it's Hack & Draft Pick, fine, he can be the "#2" and in reality be the #3, if the price is right.

Under no circumstances can he be the actual #2 QB in 2017.  Two young QB's must be in front of him.

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Just now, SAR I said:

That's your misperception.

Did you happen to miss the presser where after he was informed that he was being benched and became a backup rushed into duty he gave an honest assessment that life is tough as a journeyman when the front office loses faith in you?

Did you happen to miss the presser just this past Sunday seconds after he was told he was being benched by a lowly assistant where he covered for his head coach and did not act anything like a child?

Fitz may suck as a quarterback, he's a great team leader and sets a good example.

SAR I

+1, one of the biggest misreads by Jets Fans in a long while IMO, the hate on Fitz for that Presser.

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1 hour ago, joewilly12 said:

This "mentor" also leads the NFL in INT's 

Ryan Fitzpatrick's role next season will be as the Jets backup.  If 5% of the time he is offering encouragement and mentoring on off-field elements for our two teenage quarterback prospects it's a good thing, not a bad thing.

Ryan Fitzpatrick did not ruin your year.  You can thank Geno Smith for busting, you can thank Darrelle Revis for retiring, you can thank Mo Wilkerson for vacationing, and you can thank Sheldon Richardson for partying if it makes you happy.

SAR I

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5 minutes ago, Maxman said:

Fitz just should give the young QBs his game film. Tell them, here is what not to do.

That would be paying it forward plenty. The hugs are just icing on the cake.

Yeah, I think before Sanchez this story would have warmed my heart, like the dad relationship he had with Brunell, but if a guy has the talent it really doesn't seem like keeping Fitz on for that sort of role is a necessary thing. Good coaching works just fine. And more importantly the Jets are in no position to be wasting roster spots at quarterback of all positions on anyone that isn't a long term solution.

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3 minutes ago, RutgersJetFan said:

Yeah, I think before Sanchez this story would have warmed my heart, like the dad relationship he had with Brunell, but if a guy has the talent it really doesn't seem like keeping Fitz on for that sort of role is a necessary thing. Good coaching works just fine. And more importantly the Jets are in no position to be wasting roster spots at quarterback of all positions on anyone that isn't a long term solution.

I like the idea of Fitz being a long term backup here if:

1. Hack can't beat Petty out with Petty being the backup

2. Fitz would play for the veteran minimum

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8 minutes ago, August said:

I'm not gonna waste time with your troll attempt. Trolls love wasting time. 

You know, you can just say "I was wrong, I'm sorry" instead of making ridiculous accusations.

This is your opportunity to tell the board how badly Ryan Fitzpatrick behaved this year.  Let's have it.  Publish your list of examples.

SAR I

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14 minutes ago, RutgersJetFan said:

Yeah, I think before Sanchez this story would have warmed my heart, like the dad relationship he had with Brunell, but if a guy has the talent it really doesn't seem like keeping Fitz on for that sort of role is a necessary thing. Good coaching works just fine. And more importantly the Jets are in no position to be wasting roster spots at quarterback of all positions on anyone that isn't a long term solution.

If the Jets don't pursue Cutler or Romo types, we will need a veteran backup in here because Petty may get hurt and Hackenberg is still not ready, there aren't better choices that Ryan Fitzpatrick who is a team-first guy and the last person to cause locker room friction.  He'll be the top backup on the market, we might as well tap him.

SAR I

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2 hours ago, JetFanWithNOPSL2017 said:

Good report

Good that Fitz is remaining a team player, working hard and using his experience to try and make both Petty and Hack into viable and successful NFL QBs.

Much different than the other alleged QB on the team who sel stormed out when his own stupidity caused him to be replaced in the first place and has spent all the time since then sulking at the other end of the bench.

My guess is that Geno doesn't even know who Petty and Hackenberg are and wouldn't take a second out of his self proclaimed" working like a bull" to lift a selfish finger to help either of them.
 

Well that didn't take long. 

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