Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has announced his official retirement from the NFL after 17 seasons of service. He played for eight different teams during his NFL tenure, from 2005 until 2021. Fitzpatrick’s final season, in Washington was ended early due to a hip injury.
The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the news via Twitter on Thursday afternoon.
A hip injury shortened his final year, but Ryan Fitzpatrick heads into retirement with some incredible moments and memories. And… I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him 📺 https://t.co/HZusrsLAIm
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 2, 2022
Fitzpatrick was drafted back in 2005 out of Harvard by the then-St. Louis Rams. He was a seventh round pick, being selected with the 250th pick, which was 12 spots before the very last pick. He became a prolific journeyman quarterback, playing for eight teams, as stated above. Fitzpatrick played for the Rams, Bengals, Bills, Titans, Texans, Jets, Buccaneers, Dolphins and, finally, the then-Washington Football Team.
The team with which Fitzpatrick played the longest was the Buffalo Bills, spending four years there. Of the three seasons in which he started every single game, two of them took place in Buffalo (the third being his first year with the Jets). His best season, arguably, was that first year in New York. The Jets went 10-6 under Fitzpatrick, he passed for a career-high 3,905 yards and 31 touchdowns, throwing just 15 interceptions. He also became mobile, rushing 60 times in 2015.
His final year, 2021, saw him play in just one game before suffering a hip injury, which ended his season. Now, Fitzpatrick will enter retirement with rumors swirling that he will end up as a broadcaster sooner than later.
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Featured image courtesy of Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports
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