Fitzpatrick Officially Named Dolphins Starting QB
Ryan Fitzpatrick officially was named Monday the Miami Dolphins starting quarterback for their season opener against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Head coach Brian Flores made the announcement, which confirmed what was widely expected, in a Zoom media session.
“This isn’t groundbreaking news, but Fitz is going to be the starter," Flores said. "In a year like this with no OTAs, no minicamp, limited training camp or modified training camp, we just felt like that was the best decision for the team. He’s done a good job through the course of training camp and he’ll be out there.”
It will be a second consecutive opening-day start with the Dolphins for Fitzpatrick, who the Dolphins signed as an unrestricted free agent in March 2019.
The only other quarterback on the Dolphins' 53-man roster is rookie first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa after the team waived 2018 Arizona Cardinals first-round pick Josh Rosen on Saturday.
Tagovailoa was selected fifth overall this past April and the plan is for him to be the team's long-term starting quarterback, but Fitzpatrick's experience — not to mention his familiarity with new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey from their time together in Buffalo (2010-12) and with the New York Jets (2015-16) made him the obvious choice to get the opening-day start.
"His leadership is unbelievable," Gailey said. "His understanding of the game is right up there with the best. And he understands not only what we're trying to do, he understands what the defense is trying to do, and that gives any quarterback a leg up when they can do that.
"It wasn't necessarily that way our first year together in Buffalo, but he's gotten to the point in the last six or seven years that that's been a real asset for him. His leadership. His accuracy has improved since we were together last and I think his knowledge is great. The other thing is he loves the game. He's a competitor. He wants to win. And when you've got a competitor at quarterback, that goes a long way."
In his first season with the Dolphins, Fitzpatrick earned team MVP honors after passing for 3,529 yards with 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and leading the team in rushing yards, albeit with only 243 yards.
In his first season opener with the Dolphins, Fitzpatrick completed 14 of 24 passes for 185 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the 59-10 blowout loss against the Baltimore Ravens.
He closed out in season in style, however, at the same place where the Dolphins will begin their 2020 campaign. In a stirring 27-24 victory, Fitzpatrick was 28-for-41 for 321 yards and one touchdown, a game-winning 5-yard hook-up with tight end Mike Gesicki in the final minute. Fitzpatrick also had a touchdown run in that game.
