Jump to content

Ryan Fitzpatrick opens up about hardest year, how it made him consider retirement.


joewilly12

Recommended Posts

Ryan Fitzpatrick opens up to Daily News about 'hardest year' with Jets, how it made QB consider retirement

Ryan Fitzpatrick says he has no plans to retire from the NFL right now.

Ryan Fitzpatrick says he has no plans to retire from the NFL right now.

  (ED MULHOLLAND/GETTY IMAGES)

Ryan Fitzpatrick gave it a couple of weeks after the Jets dreadful season, thought about whether he wanted to continue to play in the NFL, and decided he was not ready to give it up.

Now, at home in New Jersey, he waits for the phone to ring.

“I’m working out, excited for my next opportunity,” Fitzpatrick told the Daily News on Tuesday in his first comments since baggie day at the end of the season. “Once the draft happens, the picture will become much clearer.”

The pain from the Jets' disappointing 5-11 season was so bad that Fitz had to take a step back to assess if his heart was still into playing. That was understandable after last season’s Jets Mess that left the players and the organization drained. Fitz realized he was still all-in and wanted to give it his best shot to play his 13th season. He’s gone through the first two months of free agency without an offer, which doesn’t surprise him.

Fitzpatrick's two years with Jets about more than wins and losses

“Last year was the hardest year I’ve had,” Fitzpatrick said. “Last year was the most difficult year for me. Not physically, just kind of mentally and emotionally. I had to take a step back and think about it. Is this something I still want to do? Football is something so ingrained in me, something I love doing and definitely something I want to do. I still want to compete and I still think I can contribute whether I am in a starting role or whatever capacity.”

Fitz and the Jets suffered through a miserable season one year after they were 10-6 and nearly made the playoffs. He had a career-year in 2015, but it was ruined when he threw interceptions on the final three possessions of the Jets' final game of the season, a 22-17 loss in Buffalo, which eliminated them from a wild-card spot. Even so, Fitzpatrick was coming off his best season and was a free agent.

It didn’t do the Jets or Fitzpatrick any good that an agreement wasn’t reached on a one-year $12 million deal until the day the team reported to training camp. Fitzpatrick missed the entire offseason program. Was that the reason his play slipped? Was it the Jets' much harder schedule? Was it Eric Decker being lost for the season after just three games?

 

Whatever, Fitz first lost his job to Geno Smith and then to Bryce Petty and got it back each time because of injuries.

Here’s what the perfect schedule would look like for the Jets

The next wave of free agent signings will begin after teams assess what they’ve picked up in the April 27-29 draft. There is still a quarterback shortage and a need for a 34-year-old quarterback who can step in and play and is capable of recreating — with the right pieces around him — what he did with the Jets in 2015.

Tony Romo’s decision to retire opens up a spot on the quarterback carousel. Fitz is much better than Kellen Moore, the backup to Dak Prescott in Dallas, so perhaps the Cowboys could be an option. Bucs backup Mike Glennon is now the Bears starter, leaving Ryan Griffin (0 career passes) and Sean Renfree (7 career passes) as Jameis Winston’s backups in Tampa. Fitz would be an upgrade.

He clearly won’t find a job where he is the starter going into training camp, but he would be an improvement as the No. 2 for more than half the teams in the league. He would be a good mentor for Jared Goff with the Rams, the team that drafted Fitz in 2005. Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick are also still available, so there is competition.

There’s also no avoiding the numbers Fitzpatrick put on his 2016 resume: 3-8 record as the starter with 12 touchdowns, 17 interceptions and just 2,710 yards passing. One year earlier, he was 10-6 with a franchise-record 31 touchdowns with 15 interceptions. He threw for 3,905 yards and Decker and Brandon Marshall became the first pair of Jets receivers to each go over 1,000 yards in the same season since 1998 when Keyshawn Johnson and Wayne Chrebet were able to do it.

Jets GM has 'no regrets' on bringing QB Ryan Fitzpatrick back

NOV. 27, 2016 FILE PHOTO

Ryan Fitzpatrick couldn’t duplicate his stellar 2015 season with the Jets.

  (BILL KOSTROUN/AP)

Fitzpatrick has started for six different teams in his 12-year career. The Jets initially traded for him two years ago to back up Smith, but that plan changed when Smith got his jaw broken in a locker room fight one month before the season. Fitz stepped in and Smith never was given the opportunity to win back his job.

Even though he missed the entire offseason, Todd Bowles immediately put Fitz back in with the first team after he signed. The one-year deal was a solution that could have been reached months earlier. The Jets, however, were interested in signing him to a three-year deal, $24 million deal. The issue was after offering him $12 million in the first year, the Jets wanted to cut his salary to $6 million in each of the last two years, which is backup money.

The Jets did offer to guarantee $3 million of Fitz’s money in 2017, and by turning it down, he cost himself a bunch of money.

Regrets?

Jets players react to first day of offseason workouts 

“Not at all,” Fitzpatrick said.

The Jets' three-year offer went along with their plan to have Christian Hackenberg start this year, which now apparently has been put on hold with the signing of journeyman Josh McCown to a one-year, $6 million contract. McCown is expected to open the season as the Jets starter with Hackenberg taking over at some point.

Fitzpatrick has been busy enough at home working out and being with his kids that he didn’t sound stressed at all about his job situation. His wife Liza recently gave birth to their sixth child. After two boys, they’ve had four girls in a row.

“We can finally call ourselves the SixPatricks,” he said.

Mehta's Jets Mailbag: Why Gang Green cut Brandon Marshall

He has taken on an immense project: On Friday he will be in his 10-year-old son’s elementary school teaching a Rubik’s Cube class to 10 second- and third-graders.

Fitzpatrick is hoping to get another chance in the NFL. It’s got to be easier than teaching a Rubik’s Cube class to a bunch of kids.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 166
  • Created
  • Last Reply

FItzpatrick is a never been decent, journeyman QB who I hope to never see in green again.

No fault of his, but he represents typical JETS GM and coaching moves.  Over pay a barely marginal VET because we have proven time and time again, we can't develop players at a pace needed to be a decent team. 

That VET, more often than not was released by a team and only had a few suitors.  For good reason. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, southparkcpa said:

FItzpatrick is a never been decent, journeyman QB who I hope to never see in green again.

No fault of his, but he represents typical JETS GM and coaching moves.  Over pay a barely marginal VET because we have proven time and time again, we can't develop players at a pace needed to be a decent team. 

That VET, more often than not was released by a team and only had a few suitors.  For good reason. 

 

Has been that never was and never will be. The dude sucks as a QB. Sadly the Jets are dumb when it comes to the QB position. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

I just knew dumbo would be bring up Fitz this off season,  probably all year as well.

I posted an article in todays Daily News don't like what I post put me on ignore, name calling is so lame on the internet. 

You've chosen to ignore content by Beerfish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My blood pressure just tripled and I probably almost got myself banned with a comment about Mr. Fitzpatrick.  

But I remembered "woosah"...

 

Taking a second to think about it, leads me to believe that no matter what, 2017 will be better than 2016.  If only because Mr. Fitzpatrick is no longer here.

Thank you for that Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

People love to hate him, but if he took the deal that Macc originally offered, he'd be on the books and playing this year as a Jet. Bowles and Macc messed this whole situation up from the beginning. They don't deserve reprieve on this and I don't know why anyone is giving it to them here. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, joewilly12 said:

Has been that never was and never will be. The dude sucks as a QB. Sadly the Jets are dumb when it comes to the QB position. 

I never wanted him here and I'm glad that he's gone, but he would have gone 8-8 last year rather easily which is exactly where the so-called NFL experts had us.  He did a good job here on a dysfunctional team, earned every penny of his paltry $7.5M annual salary.  Let's be classy and wish him well.

SAR I

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, southparkcpa said:

FItzpatrick is a never been decent, journeyman QB who I hope to never see in green again.

No fault of his, but he represents typical JETS GM and coaching moves.  Over pay a barely marginal VET because we have proven time and time again, we can't develop players at a pace needed to be a decent team. 

That VET, more often than not was released by a team and only had a few suitors.  For good reason. 

 

In fairness, he had so few suitors for two reasons:

1. Most teams already had the position filled

2. Maccagnan had already offered him a contract with $12m in year 1, $15m guaranteed total, and incentives that could have brought up the 2nd/3rd years to $12m per as well. Nobody else was going to match (let alone outbid) that amount, and what's more it's a contract Fitz scoffed at since he was seeking far more.

If we'd offered him 1 yr $7m or less, someone else may have shown serious interest but that isn't known either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, Mike135 said:

Taking a second to think about it, leads me to believe that no matter what, 2017 will be better than 2016.  If only because Mr. Fitzpatrick is no longer here.

Thank you for that Ryan Fitzpatrick.

2017 will not be better than 2016 as we don't have a quarterback on the roster capable of winning 5 games.  In case everyone forgot:

Josh McCown is 2 wins and 20 losses in the last 3 years. 

Bryce Petty is 1 win and 3 losses and is coming off of a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder.

Christian Hackenberg ended his college career with 2 wins and 5 losses and hasn't seen live action in a year.

Ryan Fizpatrick is the least of your worries.  The roster is brutal. 

SAR I

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, shuler82 said:

and if he didn't throw all of those interceptions. 

Take away the Kansas City game, he averaged the same amount of interceptions per game as he did the year before when he went 10-5 and people were ready for a parade.

SAR I

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, SAR I said:

Take away the Kansas City game, he averaged the same amount of interceptions per game as he did the year before when he went 10-5 and people were ready for a parade.

SAR I

with 19 less TDs and 1200 less yards.  But if we take away a few games in 2015 i'm sure we can get those averages to match up to 2016. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, CrazyCarl40 said:

Which is still better than the 12 million he'd be on the books for based on the initial offer that was reported. 

True, but I was referring to what you originally said. I was just pointing out that he is on the books for this season. I do agree that 5 million for Fitz not to be here is better than 12 million for him to be the starter. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Villain The Foe said:

True, but I was referring to what you originally said. I was just pointing out that he is on the books for this season. I do agree that 5 million for Fitz not to be here is better than 12 million for him to be the starter. 

Its also kind of interesting that he is out of the NFL and on the books for more than Geno is making this year, lol. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, SAR I said:

2017 will not be better than 2016 as we don't have a quarterback on the roster capable of winning 5 games.  In case everyone forgot:

Josh McCown is 2 wins and 20 losses in the last 3 years. 

Bryce Petty is 1 win and 3 losses and is coming off of a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder.

Christian Hackenberg ended his college career with 2 wins and 5 losses and hasn't seen live action in a year.

Ryan Fizpatrick is the least of your worries.  The roster is brutal. 

SAR I

 

And any of those options are better than (woosah) Mr. Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Most ideal situation?...

Trade away our 1st and 2nd this year.  End up with 3 1st rounders and 2 2nd rounders in 2018.

Let the young guys develop this year and throw Hack to the wolves.  See if he comes out a QB or fails.

Come this time next year we either have a franchise QB or are in postion to draft any QB we want w/o mortgaging the future.  All while the young players on the team developed another year.

The perfect setup to rebuild.

Wasting seasons with a ... (woosah) ... Mr. Ryan Fitzpatrick, is the worst possible outcome imaginable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Quote

 

Ryan Fitzpatrick opens up to Daily News about 'hardest year' with Jets, how it made QB consider retirement

“I’m working out, excited for my next opportunity,” Fitzpatrick told the Daily News on Tuesday in his first comments since baggie day at the end of the season. “Once the draft happens, the picture will become much clearer.”

Fitz realized he was still all-in and wanted to give it his best shot to play his 13th season. He’s gone through the first two months of free agency without an offer, which doesn’t surprise him.

“Last year was the hardest year I’ve had,” Fitzpatrick said. “Last year was the most difficult year for me. Not physically, just kind of mentally and emotionally. I had to take a step back and think about it. Is this something I still want to do? Football is something so ingrained in me, something I love doing and definitely something I want to do. I still want to compete and I still think I can contribute whether I am in a starting role or whatever capacity.”

He has taken on an immense project: On Friday he will be in his 10-year-old son’s elementary school teaching a Rubik’s Cube class to 10 second- and third-graders.

Fitzpatrick is hoping to get another chance in the NFL. It’s got to be easier than teaching a Rubik’s Cube class to a bunch of kids.

 

Fitz 'opens up'? This is nothing more than a contrived marketing promo for his next gig. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...