Miami Dolphins veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said Saturday what many fans have assumed since the 2020 NFL Draft — that he is a “placeholder” for rookie Tua Tagovailoa, whom the team selected with the fifth overall choice back in April.
Despite Tagovailoa’s potential, Fitzpatrick still clearly sees himself as having something to offer the youngster, who is entering the league coming off of major hip surgery.
A 15-year veteran of the NFL, Fitzpatrick started 13 games for Miami last season. He accrued more than 500 passing attempts for the fourth time in his career, finishing with a 62 percent completion percentage and 20 touchdowns to his credit.
Throughout his NFL odyssey, Fitzpatrick has very rarely been tabbed “the guy” for any of the eight organizations that he has appeared with. Due to that, he owns a 55-83-1 record as a starter, having finished above .500 just once.
As was evident to anyone who watched Miami in 2019, there were bigger issues than just quarterback play. The organization attempted to piece together defensive additions this off-season, but the addition of Tagovailoa stands out as the one that will get Dolphins fans most excited for 2020 and beyond.
Tagovailoa sustained significant injuries during his time at Alabama, but his production when he was on the field is undeniable. Having come in cold to help the Crimson Tide win the 2017 National Championship, he followed up the next season by being named SEC Player of the Year and setting a new NCAA single-season passer rating record (199.4).
Whether or not Fitzpatrick is the placeholder for five, 10, 16, or zero games in 2020, the veteran and the organization seem to be on the same page.
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