Can Ryan Fitzpatrick be successful on his 9th NFL team?
Ryan Fitzpatrick is arguably the NFL's most beloved player. From his interview antics, his gunslinger playstyle, and his down-to-earth demeanor, there's little to not like about the journeyman quarterback.
However, having a relatable personality doesn't translate into wins in the NFL. Fitzpatrick is entering his 17th season in the league. Is retirement knocking on the door if Fitz can't put together a winning season for the Washington Football Team?
Fitzpatrick's storied career can be summed up by his two nicknames: Fitzmagic and Fitztragic.
The former refers to when he leads his teams to victories in awe-inspiring fashion and the latter when he can't seem to execute a single scoring drive.
So will the Redskins get Fitzmagic or Fitztragic in 2022?
Will Ryan Fitzpatrick elevate the Washington Football Team?
Washington is the ninth different team that Fitzpatrick will play for in the NFL. He may not be the team's long-term solution at quarterback but could be a short fix for a talented team. Fitzpatrick can certainly breathe some new life into Washington's struggling quarterback room.
Washington surprisingly earned a playoff berth in 2020, primarily due to a sub-par performance from the rest of the teams in the NFC East. Alex Smith, Dwayne Haskins and Tyler Heinicke all started at quarterback for Washington last season.
Alex Smith ended the 2020 season with 1,582 yards, six touchdowns, eight interceptions, and a 78.5 quarterback rating (QBR). Dwayne Haskins had 1,439 yards, five touchdowns, seven interceptions and a QBR rating of 73.0.
Tyler Heinicke played just one regular-season game, throwing for 137 yards and one touchdown, giving him a QBR of 48.3. However, Heinicke played well in Washington's playoff game against the Buccaneers, throwing for 306 yards and one touchdown with an interception and a QBR rating of 64.3.
Fitzpatrick has qualities that make him a better option than the three quarterbacks that Washington started last season. Although Tua Tagovailoa started most of the games in 2020 for the Miami Dolphins, Ryan Fitzpatrick was thrown into action instead of the rookie during crucial moments.
Fitzpatrick appeared in nine games and started seven. In those nine games, Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 2,091 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions, with a QBR rating of 95.6.
With wide receivers like Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel at his disposal, Ryan Fitzpatrick could continue to be a gunslinger. The offense shouldn't be a problem for Washington this season. With the team already boasting an elite defense, there's no reason why Fitzpatrick can't lead Washington to the playoffs.