The Miami Dolphins’ backup quarterback situation is very much in flux this offseason as veteran signal caller Ryan Fitzpatrick faces free agency and the Dolphins look to continue to transition fully into a younger quarterback to serve as their long-term answer at the position. And with the chances of Fitzpatrick returning to Miami slim, the future for Fitzpatrick was murky after an extensive NFL career that has seen him play for a quarter of the league since first arriving nearly two decades ago.
But a new report, courtesy of former ESPN reporter John Clayton, seems to indicate that Fitzpatrick’s career isn’t just in flux but rather it may be time to turn off the light for good.
“Ryan Fitzpatrick looks like he’s going to retire. The Broncos did make some contact with him. He’s been with eight teams and played a long time. But it looks like he’s going to be out of the mix.” – John Clayton, 104.3 The Fan
If that is the case, than Fitzpatrick will have had a season fitting for his reputation to bring things to a close. There were six starts to open the season, an abrupt benching, an appearance off the bench to nearly rally for a win before an interception in the final minute, a subsequent start and victory over the Jets before returning to the bench and then a final thrilling appearance in Week 16 to rally the Dolphins to their most improbable win on this side of the Miami Miracle.
If this is indeed the final season of Ryan Fitzpatrick, he managed to squeeze his full career narrative and storyline into a 15 game stretch before being ineligible to play in Week 17 on account of testing positive for COVID-19. That is the cruel twist at the end of the road for one of the NFL’s great journeymen quarterbacks. But his final completion as a Dolphin and NFL quarterback, if this is indeed it? That would be his improbable heave to save the day for the Dolphins in Las Vegas.
And what a fitting end that would be given the reputation and career Fitzpatrick has carved for himself.