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The Athletic recently polled 50 NFL coaches and talent evaluators to determine its 2021 quarterback rankings. The Athletic breaks down quarterbacks into different tiers. And to be in Tier 1, you have to be elite.
Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson were the only Tier 1 passers.
So, where did Washington quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick land on the list?
The Athletic ranked Fitzpatrick No. 23 overall in Tier 3.
One NFL executive had the following to say about Fitzpatrick:
I always hated playing him because he doesn’t give a crap, He is 39 years old, has made plenty of money, he’s just out there slinging it around. Teams that played Miami last year were happy as all get-out when they put Tua in there. And now they have this amazing defense in Washington.
That statement features plenty of praise for Fitzpatrick. When an opposing team hates playing you, it generally means you’re good. When Fitzpatrick is on, he’s really good. The problem has always been when he is not on.
Part of the reason Washington loved Fitzpatrick was because he will sling it around and take chances. Washington has a strong defense and needed a quarterback who would push the ball down the field and take more chances. The team understands that will lead to more turnovers, but it will also lead to more points. Fitzpatrick now has a defense to bail him out, something he’s never truly had.
Fitzpatrick’s score improved from last season. It continued his trend of moving up as his average tier vote has improved in each of the past four seasons.
Fitzpatrick is always fun to watch. He could be one of the most entertaining players in the league in 2021 with a more talented team around him that is fully committed to him.