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Ryan Fitzpatrick – December 26, 2020 (Postgame) Download PDF version

Saturday, December 26, 2020
Postgame – Las Vegas

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

(When Head Coach Brian Flores approached you – first, what did you do when you ran into the tunnel? What was your reaction to his message, and could you explain the will of the entire team for you guys to come back and win this game?) – “The tunnel thing was weird because this was the first time in my 16-year career I’ve had to go to the bathroom so bad that I had to go during the game. So, I ran in there to take a pee and then I came back out. And when I came back out, ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) said ‘Get ready, you’re going in.’ So, I took the obligatory, seven warm-up throws and went out there and tried to make something happen.”

(You’ve thrown over 5,000 passes. Were any as big as what just happened tonight?) – “Nah, I don’t think so. I think the odds were pretty low there of us to be able to complete something with the proper yardage and not have to throw a Hail Mary but actually kick a field goal. I didn’t know that it was complete. As you guys saw, my facemask was getting pulled and my head was getting ripped off. I turned around to say ‘Hey, facemask,’ just to make sure they saw it. I think Jesse Davis, or maybe Myles (Gaskin) had to tell me that it was complete, but I didn’t know that we completed it.”

(Head Coach Brian Flores compared you to a 9th-inning reliever. How do you feel about that role and is it understood that if the offense is struggling late in games, that you might get called into these situations?) – “Yeah. Again, every which way in my career, I’ve done it. I still play the game because I love playing the game. I love being part of the team. I love being out there on the field. So, I get excited every time – whether it’s a start or whether it’s at some point at the end of the game – he calls my number and puts me in.”

(Can you take us through that play, like what’s going on in your mind, from the snap, to the face pull, to when you figured out WR Mack Hollins actually caught it?) – “They were going to be in two-high safeties, playing pretty soft. We had Mike (Gesicki) going right down the pipe and a 20-yard in-cut coming behind him. I just wanted to see what that safety on the left was going to do. I tried to make him believe that I was throwing it to Mike. It was a desperation throw, but I was going to put it on the sideline to Mack and just hope for good things. In that case, really you’re throwing up a prayer a little bit and along with the facemask, it ended up being awesome for us.”

(This is your first opportunity to actually make it into the playoffs. What’s that like and what’s it like to know that you’ve contributed to that, if you get in?) – “I want to go. I want to feel what it’s like. I think we have a special team. I think this team all year long has fought. And for me, it’s not just this year, it’s the last two years and trying to build this foundation and build this vision of what Coach Flores thinks that we are. I’m proud of the fact that I’ve really been able to contribute to that and have a strong contribution. That, today, was a great play at the end; but just on the sideline, the excitement, being able to hug your teammates and your coaches, I mean that’s why we play the game. I am well aware that I’ve never been to the playoffs, I promise you; and we would love nothing more than to get there.”

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