Ryan Fitzpatrick – November 3, 2019 (Postgame)
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Sunday, November 3, 2019
Postgame – N.Y. Jets
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
(Fun?) – “Oh, yeah. It’s always fun to win and going so many games without one and the work that we have put in and the adversity we have worked through, that one’s pretty sweet.”
(Given the nature of what you’ve been through – seven weeks without a win – is it extra special do you think?) – “I think it is. To do it with these guys, the things that we’ve had to fight through and all the negativity that is surrounding from the outside looking in, the way that guys have decided to be positive, decided to practice well, decided to come to work every single day and work hard, that’s what makes this one so special. And it’s nice when something like that pays off and you could see the fruits of your labor.”
(And you personally, these are kind of the moments you signed up for, right?) – “Yeah, I love it. I mean, I had a lot of pressure on me today because my two boys were here and when we win, I bring my boys in the locker room; so I was tired of the puppy dog eyes when I was walking off the field with them not being able to come in the locker room. We were going to get them in the dang locker room today. (laughter)”
(You’ve been around a lot of coaches. What has impressed you about this one, Head Coach Brian Flores?) – “I just think he’s stayed on message. I think there’s been a lot of things that have happened, good and bad, as a head coach, that are out of your control, and the consistency that he has shown, who he is and what he’s about and why we are here, I think that’s been really impressive and guys are responding to that. I think that’s always a good sign for a head coach.”
(How different can everything be when you finally get the payoff for a week of work with a win?) – “It’s nice. I just feel like we’re trending right now, and we have been the last few weeks, so it’s nice to put a win in the win column. I don’t know what you want to call it. We could call it pre-Aqib Talib and post-Aqib Talib, maybe if you want to. (laughter) I’m not sure when jersey number they’re going to give him. (laughter). But you know, we’re trending in the right direction and guys are putting in the work and doing the right things.”
(You personally, the last three or four games have been playing better than you were at the beginning of the season. What’s been different for you?) – “I think overall we’ve just been a little more consistent. The communication is a little bit better. We have gotten in a good flow Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, of putting the game plans together and getting guys to really buy in and it’s nice to do that and then to see things work on Sunday the way that (Head) Coach (Brian Flores) put it in or the way that a coach saw it. That’s been nice for us, and I think just the fact that everybody is still bought in and there’s not feelings of guys hanging their head and mopey – everybody’s coming to work trying to win – that’s been a nice push in the right direction for us.”
(It seems like you’re starting to develop nice chemistry with WR Preston Williams, with WR DeVante Parker and you see TE Mike Gesicki come in. Do you feel that, have you felt that coming along for some time?) – “I have, and those guys on the outside are – they’re big targets, they’re physical guys and they do a nice job. They’re smart players so that’s just going to continue to get better and better, and then Mike coming along a little bit, he had a nice game today. He made some nice plays. That’s the kind of stuff that we expect from him every week and he’s just got to continue to put the work in and get better; but we’re making improvements and strides and in all areas and those guys are going to continue to put the work in, so hopefully we can continue to improve.”
(A lot of young players on this football team. A lot of new faces on this team that weren’t here last year and some that weren’t here at the beginning of the season. To go through what you guys have gone through and to come through and grind out a win today and walk in that locker room with a win, how did that feel to everybody?) – “It was – I mean these are the reasons, at least for me in Year 15 – that feeling – that’s why you still play. I know we didn’t just win the Super Bowl, but I also know that the things that we have gone through already this season and just trying to deal with it with a smile on your face and remaining positive and to have my two boys sitting there watching this, I mean, those are the lessons that are hard to teach in other aspects outside of sports and that’s part of the reason you still play and part of the reason it’s such a special win for us.”
(Why has this team, over the last month or so, been able to get better and better every week?) – “I think continuity, a little bit, just being able to play together for a little while. Again, guys buying in and I don’t know, maybe, the (Aqib) Talib factor. (laughter) I don’t know.”
(What did your boys do in the locker room when you won? What did they say when you won this game?) – “It’s just fun to have them in there. The excitement, the good things that happen, all the emotions – they see a lot of the bad things that happen when we’re not winning and people are asking them questions at school and my fantasy numbers aren’t very high for them. (laughter) So they have been through plenty of downs and it’s awesome to be able to experience the ups with them as well. Walking into that locker room with all the excitement is good stuff.”
(How do you build off this? How do you continue to keep this momentum?) – “I just think the message that’s been being preached about continuing to work and our coaches are putting in so much time and effort into our game plans and guys buying in, I think this only helps that. I think it helps going forward, just gives us a little kick in the butt a little bit, some extra energy and all that. But like I said, the last few weeks of practice, (it) just felt like this was coming. Buffalo we got off to a good start, Pittsburgh we got off to a good start, but this one here was more of a complete game by our team and sometimes you have to learn how to win and today was a day that we did that a little bit.”
(I know they were about three hours ago, but could you take us through each of your three touchdowns – what you saw and were those the primary reads on them?) – “Yeah, I mean that first one was so awesome because the play before was very similar. We threw a different route on Preston (Williams), and there aren’t too many that are exactly the way that you thought they were going to happen and that was one of them. So that was a pretty cool feeling. Then DeVante (Parker) made a great catch on his – one-on-one, give him a chance. Then Preston (Williams) on his second one – again, just big, physical receiver, beat the guy inside and made a nice catch.”
(Who presented Head Coach Brian Flores the ball and can you take us in the locker room and tell us what that moment was like?) – “He could probably tell you better than I can, but it’s just a cool moment because everybody understands the work that was put in and the work that has to continue.”
