Ryan Fitzpatrick kept the Miami Dolphins in contention in the AFC East through the first six games of the 2020 season.
The Dolphins are just one game back of the Buffalo Bills for the division lead, and have a legitimate shot at their first playoff appearance since 2016.
But the future has arrived in Miami, with the Dolphins announcing rookie Tua Tagovailoa would take over as the starter quarterback for the remainder of the season.
Fitzpatrick said he was glad to be a mentor and something of a buffer for the 2020 first-round pick. However, the veteran admitted he was crushed to learn he had been replaced as the starter.
Ryan Fitzpatrick says he was shocked. It caught him off guard. It was a hard thing for me to hear and digest. My heart hurt all day.
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) October 21, 2020
The 37-year-old has worked hard to put the Dolphins in the position they are in, and he said this was the first time he felt it was his team since he played for the Buffalo Bills.
Ryan Fitzpatrick: I was fully invested. Other than Buffalo this was really the first time I felt this was my team.
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) October 21, 2020
Fitzpatrick also said it felt like he had been fired, and had spent time wondering if this past weekend's win over the New York Jets was the last time he would start an NFL game.
I got fired today. And was in Zoom with the guy that fired me and in a room with the guy that replace me. – Ryan Fitzpatrick
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) October 21, 2020
Ryan Fitzpatrick: Was this it? Was that my last game as an NFL starter?
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) October 21, 2020
The Dolphins made Fitzpatrick the starter in a throwaway 2019 season, but he turned it into something promising. Fitzpatrick led Miami to wins in five of its last nine games, seemingly building momentum for the 2020 campaign.
Indeed, Miami has been competitive, thanks in part to Fitzpatrick's grittiness and hard-nosed leadership.
Time will tell whether Tua can elevate the franchise to the next level. But the timing of the news certainly appeared questionable, and Fitzpatrick is struggling to deal with the idea of being relegated to the bench.
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