Ryan Fitzpatrick is a retired American football quarterback with a unique NFL career spanning 17 seasons. He holds the record for starting at quarterback for the most teams (nine) and is the only player to throw a touchdown pass for eight different teams. Notably, Fitzpatrick was not drafted by any team initially but played for the Rams, Bengals, Bills, Titans, Texans, Jets, Buccaneers, Dolphins, and Commanders. Despite his nomadic career, he achieved several milestones including being the only Harvard graduate to throw for over 30,000 career passing yards and having several notable games.
1948: Fitzpatrick Joins Elite Company with Unique Performance
Since 1948, only Ryan Fitzpatrick and Walter Payton have achieved the rare feat of two passing touchdowns, a rushing touchdown, over 20 rushing yards, and a reception in the same game, accomplished by Fitzpatrick during his time with the Dolphins after a specific game against the Jaguars. The specific game year was not mentioned.
November 24, 1982: Ryan Fitzpatrick Born
Ryan Joseph Fitzpatrick was born on November 24, 1982. He would go on to have a long career as an NFL quarterback, playing for 17 seasons.
1991: Mike Giardi Sets Harvard Records
Mike Giardi set school records at Harvard between 1991 and 1993, which were later broken by Fitzpatrick.
1998: Testaverde Sets Jets' Touchdown Record
In 1998, Vinny Testaverde set the New York Jets franchise record for most touchdown passes in a single season.
2001: Early Years at Harvard
Ryan Fitzpatrick began his college football career at Harvard University, initially serving as a backup quarterback.
2002: Backup Quarterback at Harvard
Fitzpatrick served as the backup at Harvard and produced impressive stats including 1,155 passing yards and 523 rushing yards.
2003: Starting Quarterback at Harvard
In 2003, Fitzpatrick became the starting quarterback for Harvard, leading the team to a 7-3 record while amassing significant passing and rushing yards.
2004: Ivy League Player of the Year
Fitzpatrick's performance in 2004 earned him the Ivy League Player of the Year award and led Harvard to an undefeated season, culminating in an Ivy League Championship.
July 18, 2005: Signs with the Rams
On July 18, 2005, Fitzpatrick officially signed a three-year contract with the St. Louis Rams.
November 27, 2005: NFL Debut
Fitzpatrick made his NFL debut on November 27, 2005, against the Houston Texans, leading the Rams to a comeback victory and earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
2005: High Wonderlic Score
In 2005, Ryan Fitzpatrick took the Wonderlic test, achieving a near-perfect score and placing him among the highest scorers for NFL quarterbacks.
2005: Drafted into the NFL
In 2005, Ryan Fitzpatrick was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round. This marked the beginning of his professional football career.
2006: Limited Appearance
In 2006, Fitzpatrick made a brief appearance in the final game of the regular season.
2006: Fitzpatrick's 3,000-Yard Season
In 2006, Ryan Fitzpatrick became the first Bills quarterback to throw for at least 3,000 yards in a season since J.P. Losman accomplished the feat in the same year. Despite the Bills finishing 4-12, Fitzpatrick had at least one touchdown pass in 13 consecutive games.
September 1, 2007: Traded to Bengals
On September 1, 2007, Ryan Fitzpatrick was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals.
September 28, 2008: First Bengals Start
Fitzpatrick made his first start for the Bengals due to an injury to Carson Palmer.
October 12, 2008: Starts for Bengals
Fitzpatrick started for the Bengals against the Jets and for the remaining games of the 2008 season.
2008: Signs Tender Offer
Fitzpatrick signed his tender offer with the Bengals.
2008: Bengals Draft Pick
The Rams received a seventh-round pick in the 2008 draft as part of the trade involving Fitzpatrick.
February 27, 2009: Signs with Bills
On February 27, 2009, Fitzpatrick signed a three-year contract with the Buffalo Bills.
October 18, 2009: First Appearance for Bills
Fitzpatrick made his first appearance for the Bills after Trent Edwards was injured.
November 18, 2009: Named Bills Starter
Fitzpatrick was named the starting quarterback for the Bills.
2009: Season Performance
Fitzpatrick finished the 2009 season with over 1,400 passing yards, 9 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
2009: Fitzpatrick's Season with the Miami Dolphins
In 2009, Ryan Fitzpatrick played for the Miami Dolphins, starting some games due to Chad Henne's benching. He had notable performances against his former teams, the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets. He secured the Dolphins' first win against the Jets and a victory against the Patriots in the season finale, preventing them from getting a first-round bye.
September 20, 2010: Fitzpatrick Named Bills' Starting Quarterback
On September 20, 2010, Ryan Fitzpatrick was named the starting quarterback for the Buffalo Bills after the team's 0-2 start to the season. He had initially been the backup to Trent Edwards.
2010: Fitzpatrick Recognized as a Top-5 Smartest Athlete
In 2010, Ryan Fitzpatrick was named the fifth smartest athlete by Sporting News.
October 28, 2011: Fitzpatrick Signs Contract Extension with Bills
On October 28, 2011, Ryan Fitzpatrick signed a six-year, $59 million contract extension with the Buffalo Bills. The deal included a $10 million signing bonus. During the 2011 season, he had three games with over 300 passing yards.
2011: Fitzpatrick's Season Performance and Injury
During the 2011 season, Ryan Fitzpatrick played in all 16 games for the Buffalo Bills, starting every one. He amassed 3,832 passing yards, throwing 24 touchdowns but also a league-leading 23 interceptions. He also contributed 215 rushing yards on 56 carries. It was later revealed he played through broken ribs sustained in a game against the Washington Redskins.
2011: Fitzpatrick's Commitment to Wedding Ring
In a 2011 interview, Ryan Fitzpatrick emphasized the importance of wearing his wedding ring at all times.
2012: Fitzpatrick's 2012 Season with the Bills
In 2012, Ryan Fitzpatrick started all 16 games for the Buffalo Bills, throwing for 3,400 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. He also added 197 rushing yards and a touchdown.
March 12, 2013: Fitzpatrick Released by Bills
On March 12, 2013, the Buffalo Bills released Ryan Fitzpatrick. This decision came after the firing of head coach Chan Gailey. In the 2012 season, Fitzpatrick threw for 3,400 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions while also rushing for 197 yards and a touchdown.
March 18, 2013: Fitzpatrick Signs with Titans
On March 18, 2013, Ryan Fitzpatrick signed a two-year contract with the Tennessee Titans.
March 14, 2014: Fitzpatrick Released by Titans
Ryan Fitzpatrick was released by the Tennessee Titans on March 14, 2014. He was replaced by Charlie Whitehurst.
March 18, 2014: Fitzpatrick Signs with Texans
On March 18, 2014, Ryan Fitzpatrick signed a two-year contract with the Houston Texans.
November 5, 2014: Fitzpatrick Demoted to Backup in Houston
On November 5, 2014, Ryan Fitzpatrick was demoted to the backup quarterback position for the Houston Texans. Ryan Mallett took over as the starter. Fitzpatrick had been named the starter by new head coach Bill O'Brien in June.
November 23, 2014: Fitzpatrick's Record-Setting Game, Regains Starting Role
On November 23, 2014, Ryan Fitzpatrick regained his starting quarterback position for the Houston Texans due to Ryan Mallett's pectoral muscle tear. In Week 13, Fitzpatrick threw for a franchise-record six touchdowns and 358 yards with no interceptions and a 147.5 passer rating in a win against the Tennessee Titans. He earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for this performance.
March 11, 2015: Fitzpatrick Traded to Jets
Ryan Fitzpatrick was traded to the New York Jets on March 11, 2015, in exchange for a late-round conditional draft pick. This trade reunited him with Chan Gailey, his former head coach in Buffalo who was now the Jets' offensive coordinator.
2015: Fitzpatrick Breaks Jets' Touchdown Record
During the 2015 NFL season, Ryan Fitzpatrick, starting all 16 games for the New York Jets, threw for 3,905 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. His 31 touchdowns broke Vinny Testaverde's franchise record set in 1998. Fitzpatrick also rushed for 270 yards and two touchdowns on 60 carries.
2015: Fitzpatrick's 2015 Free Agency
Following the 2015 NFL season, Ryan Fitzpatrick became a free agent.
2015: Winning Season with the Jets
Ryan Fitzpatrick led the New York Jets to a winning season in 2015.
July 27, 2016: Fitzpatrick Re-signs with Jets
On July 27, 2016, Ryan Fitzpatrick, a free agent after the 2015 season, re-signed with the New York Jets on a one-year, $12 million fully guaranteed contract.
2016: Fitzpatrick's 2016 Season Performance
In the 2016 NFL season, Ryan Fitzpatrick played in 14 games, starting 11 of them, for the New York Jets. He threw for 2,710 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions, while also adding 130 rushing yards on 33 attempts.
February 15, 2017: Fitzpatrick Becomes a Free Agent
On February 15, 2017, Ryan Fitzpatrick's contract with the New York Jets was voided, making him a free agent.
May 19, 2017: Fitzpatrick Signs with Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to a one-year, $3 million contract on May 19, 2017.
2017: Fitzpatrick's 2017 Season Performance
During the 2017 NFL season, Ryan Fitzpatrick played in six games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, starting three of them. He threw for 1,103 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also added 78 rushing yards on 15 attempts.
March 9, 2018: Fitzpatrick Extends Contract with Buccaneers, Named Starter
On March 9, 2018, Ryan Fitzpatrick signed a one-year contract extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Due to Jameis Winston's three-game suspension, Fitzpatrick started the season as the Buccaneers' starting quarterback.
2018: 400-Yard Games with Buccaneers
In 2018, while playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Fitzpatrick became the first NFL quarterback to throw for over 400 yards in three consecutive games.
2018: Fitzpatrick's Rollercoaster 2018 Season
The 2018 season saw Ryan Fitzpatrick experience a series of ups and downs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He began the season as the starter due to Jameis Winston's suspension. In Week 8, he came off the bench to relieve a struggling Winston and nearly led the Buccaneers to a comeback victory against the Cincinnati Bengals. This performance earned him the starting role again. He followed up with a four-touchdown game against the Carolina Panthers, although the Buccaneers lost. He also tied the single-season record for 400-yard passing games with his fourth such performance, against the Washington Redskins. However, he was benched for Winston again in Week 11 after a three-interception game against the New York Giants.
2018: Fitzpatrick's 2018 Season Statistics
In 2018, Ryan Fitzpatrick played eight games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, starting seven of them. He threw for 2,366 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, achieving a career-high passer rating of 100.4. He also rushed for 152 yards and two touchdowns on 36 attempts.
March 18, 2019: Fitzpatrick Signs with Dolphins, Named Starter
On March 18, 2019, Ryan Fitzpatrick signed a two-year, $11 million contract with the Miami Dolphins. He was named the starting quarterback over Josh Rosen.
2019: Fitzpatrick's 2019 Season Performance
During the 2019 season, Ryan Fitzpatrick served as the Miami Dolphins' leading rusher, accumulating 3,529 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He also added 243 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.
September 7, 2020: Fitzpatrick Named Dolphins' Starting Quarterback
On September 7, 2020, Ryan Fitzpatrick was named the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins for the second consecutive year, outperforming rookie Tua Tagovailoa in training camp.
2020: Fitzpatrick's 2020 Season Overview
In the 2020 season, Ryan Fitzpatrick played nine games and started seven for the Miami Dolphins. He recorded 2,091 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also contributed 151 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns on 30 carries.
2020: Winning Season with the Dolphins
Ryan Fitzpatrick had a winning season with the Miami Dolphins in 2020.
December 31, 2020: Fitzpatrick Placed on COVID-19 List
On December 31, 2020, Ryan Fitzpatrick was placed on the Miami Dolphins' reserve/COVID-19 list.
January 11, 2021: Fitzpatrick Activated from COVID-19 List
On January 11, 2021, Ryan Fitzpatrick was activated from the Miami Dolphins' reserve/COVID-19 list.
March 18, 2021: Fitzpatrick Signs with Washington Football Team
On March 18, 2021, Ryan Fitzpatrick signed a one-year contract with the Washington Football Team.
2021: Fitzpatrick's Family and Accolades
As of 2021, Ryan Fitzpatrick and his wife, Liza Barber, have seven children. He is also known for never removing his wedding ring, even during games.
June 2, 2022: Fitzpatrick Announces Retirement
Ryan Fitzpatrick announced his retirement from the NFL on June 2, 2022, after 17 seasons.
June 21, 2022: Fitzpatrick Joins Amazon's Thursday Night Football
On June 21, 2022, Ryan Fitzpatrick joined Amazon's Thursday Night Football broadcast team as a pre-game and post-game analyst.
2023: Fitzpatrick Becomes DraftKings Spokesman
In 2023, Ryan Fitzpatrick became a spokesman for DraftKings.