Ryan Fitzpatrick – August 13, 2019
Download PDF version
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
(Did it feel like a high school reunion today?) – “A little bit. Being on eight teams, this has happened more than once to me, where I’ve gotten to go back. (Laughter) But this one, having played here for two years and just the irony of being here and being able to practice this year with them, I got to see a lot of the guys. There are still some people I can’t wait to say hi to, and maybe even a couple of you, maybe. (laughter) It’s a great place. It’s a great place to raise a family. This is a great building. This is a great organization. A lot of smiles coming back for sure.”
(It looked like you and QB Jameis Winston after practice had a moment today?) – ”Yeah, I mean we are friends. It was good to just catch up with him for a little bit. I got to introduce him to little Jake, my seventh little baby. Now (there’s) a lot of conversation about kids and how things are going with him. Yeah, there are a lot of guys on this team I have a special relationships with and he is certainly one of them.”
(Did you have a moment at practice against any defenders where you felt like you got an upper hand or they did and something was said?) – “I felt like Beau Allen gave me a little butt slap on one of them. (laughter) We have a red jersey on, you’re not supposed to touch the quarterback but I felt like he got a little handsy with me. (Laughter) But yeah, friendly banter back and forth pretty much. It was good to see everybody.”
(QB Josh Rosen was just in here and talked about how generous you’ve been about mentoring him and taking him under your wing. And Head Coach Brian Flores was talking about the importance of leadership on this team. Given the wisdom you have and the wealth of your experience, how has that experience allow you to be a leader on this team?) – “I enjoy that role. I think just the position of quarterback in general, that is a leadership position on the team. Guys are looking at you for something as little as the play call, something as little as demeanor in and out of the huddle. Bad plays, they are looking at you to see how you’re going to react, good plays looking at you to see how you’re going to react. All of that stuff goes to it. I just really enjoy playing football. I like being out here and that’s why I still do it. Last year at the beginning of the year, it was great. It was so much fun being out there, being in rooms like this in this building. This year it’s more of the same. It’s different faces and different guys, but again, building relationships and everyone working towards a common goal. That’s one of the things I love about football and we’re trying to build in Miami.
(It seems like QB Josh Rosen mentioned that you’ve been extremely selfless with him. It seems like human nature in a competition would be self-interest-rooted. Is it natural for you to help someone?) – “Yeah. I don’t – Again, I’m focused on making sure that whether it’s the way that I’m working before, in or after practice or when we’re watching film, I’m focused on being the best quarterback that I can be. I’m certainly very open to questions. I always throw in my two cents whether they want to hear it or not. I just think in playing this game for as long as I have, there are so many good things that have happened and there are also scars that have developed from mistakes that you’ve made that you don’t want other people to make. I just try to share all of those experiences with them. They’ve been real good too in terms of being receptive and asking questions. I’m an open book. I’m here to compete, play football, have fun and go from there.”
(How different is practice when you’re going against another team?) – “I think it’s great. I really do. I like the joint practices because you start going against your defense in that particular scheme and you get locked into certain looks. Then all of a sudden you’re going into a preseason game and you’re not preparing real well because you’re still locked in training camp and guys heads start spinning a little bit. To be able to get out here, get a few practices in especially against a Todd Bowles defense that gives you a lot of different looks, we’re going to have plenty of things to sit and talk about tonight and for the next few days. He really challenges you as an offense. This is a great opportunity for us, and even just one-on-ones with different defensive backs, or putting our backs blocking linebackers or running routes with our tight ends with safeties. It’s the same thing. It’s just different people and I think it bring more energy to training camp, because you kind of hit that lull where you’ve been practicing for a while against the same guys doing the same things and this adds some energy to it.”
(Having said that, what did you gain from your group, especially up front, going against another team?) – “We’ll go back and there is a lot of stuff we’ll be able to talk about in terms of the true scheme and what we’re doing, things that are good and bad and how we can make it better. So that’s going to be good for us. But also, just facing guys that play a little bit different. Their techniques are a little bit different, their run fits are a little bit different. All of that stuff happens every week throughout the season. It’s nice for it to happen in a practice setting where maybe the stakes aren’t as high and you can learn from some of the mistakes.”
(You know some of this personnel already. What jumps out at you now that you see them in a Todd Bowles defense?) – “I’ll just say that I have a ton of respect for Todd and having played for him in New York (with the Jets) for two years. I think the mentality that he has, how aggressive he is, how confident he is in what he’s calling, that really shows on the field with his players. That’s such an important thing, especially defensively, to have that mentality and that attitude. That was something when he was a head coach that trickled down to all of us, just how confident he was in what he did and how he relied on his players and wasn’t afraid to be aggressive. That stuff sends a good message throughout the locker room. That’s one that I think everybody that plays for him hears loud and clear.”
(Head Coach Bruce Arians said that he didn’t want QB Jameis Winston looking over his shoulder this year. In a weird way, did you play so well that maybe that was a factor? I know you have a great opportunity in Miami and you made that decision but did the Bucs even contact you and what was that dynamic like after Jameis came back because you had been so successful? Do you think maybe he was trying to match you?) – “I think last year was a difficult situation for a lot of different reasons; but I also look at the way he played down the stretch and he played some really good football. I know that he grew as a football player last year and the way that he was playing. I think I had an opportunity to come to Miami and to compete for the job. For me at least, football is a lot more fun when I’m out there playing. Having the opportunity to go to Miami and compete, that’s why I decided to do what I did. I’m excited to see Jameis in this offense, just to see him a year older, a year further in his progression as a quarterback, because the sky is the limit for him obviously.”
(It seems like QB Josh Rosen is making progress and is kind of closing the gap on the starting job, if I can use that term. Do you feel that way and if so, where has Josh improved and why has he closed the gap?) – “I’m the same guy every day, whether it’s in the meeting rooms, the practice field or the game field. I’m going to try to bring steadiness, I’m going to try to bring excitement and all of that stuff. In a competition, instead of focusing on everything that you can’t control, you focus on what you can (control) and what I can control is me. That’s how I look at these things. I know what I’m capable of when I perform at a high level. Being able to reach that and consistently do that is something that I’ll continue to strive for. I think as a whole, when you bring in a new coaching staff and a new system, everybody is learning and trying to get on the same page and get up to speed. This is about the time after all of the offseason stuff and now into training camp where stuff starts to gel a little bit better and people start to come together and you start to see a little more continuity so I think we’re seeing that a little bit with everybody.”
(I don’t know if you can put a percentage on it but how much of the quarterback job do you feel is the intangibles – communication, leadership, body language – versus more physical qualities?) – ”Well, if being a quarterback was all based on height, weight, speed and arm talent, then I wouldn’t be in the NFL. I have to answer that question by saying the intangibles are very important, because that’s why I’m standing up here in front of you. There are so many things that go into being a successful quarterback and playing the position the right way. That’s what I strive to do every day.”
