Ryan Fitzpatrick
Encyclopedia
Ryan Joseph Fitzpatrick (born November 24, 1982) is an American football
quarterback
for the Buffalo Bills
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams
in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Harvard.
in Gilbert, Arizona
. Fitzpatrick was a Second-team Class 5A All-state selection, adding Arizona High School All-Star team, Fiesta Region first team and Fiesta Region MVP honors as a senior. He set 12 school records as a Highland Hawk and one state mark (throwing a 99-yard touchdown pass) while leading the team to the state playoffs from 1998–2000 and to the 1999 Fiesta Region title. He graduated in the top 1 percent of his class.
Fitzpatrick took over the starting job in 2003. Fitzpatrick finished his junior campaign completing 107 of 178 passes (60.1 percent) for 1,770 yards, 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions in seven games. He also carried 109 times for 430 yards (3.9 avg.) and six scores.
In 2004 Fitzpatrick would earn Ivy League MVP honors (Asa S. Bushnell Cup) as he amassed 1,986 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions on 158 of 276 passing (57.2 percent) and led Harvard to a 10-0 record as a senior. He ranked second on the team with 118 carries for 448 yards (3.8 avg.) and five scores in 2004.
For his career, Fitzpatrick connected on 384 of 641 passes (59.9 percent) for 5,234 yards, 39 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He collected 1,487 yards with 16 scores on 365 carries (4.1 avg.) and totaled 6,721 yards, an average of 224.0 yards per game, while seeing action in 30 contests. He ranks second on Harvard's career list for pass completions, touchdowns, yards passing and pass completion percentage, topped only by Neil Rose (5,949 yards, 41 touchdowns, 455 completions, 62.4 percent, 1998–2002). His 641 pass attempts rank fourth in school history. His 1,006 total plays for 6,721 yards in total offense broke the old school career records of 1,005 plays by Mike Giardi (1991–93) and 6,519 yards by Rose. He is the first quarterback in Harvard history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a career.
. A draft commentary on the NFL's official website reported that he made a perfect score, while setting a speed record by completing the exam in nine minutes. According to a The Wall Street Journal
report that appeared in the September 30, 2005, edition, Fitzpatrick scored a 48 on the exam, not a 50—still considered an exceptionally high score, but the claim that he completed the test in nine minutes is accurate. While his actual score is unknown, he has been quoted acknowledging he left at least one question blank. As the Wonderlic score is the number of correct answers to 50 questions, the best he could have scored would be a 49.
The only player to earn a verified perfect score on the Wonderlic test was also a Harvard graduate: wide receiver
/punter
Pat McInally
, who played his entire career with the Cincinnati Bengals
.
Additionally, Fitzpatrick ran a 4.86 in the 40-yard dash had a 295-pound bench press and 415-pound squat and 325-pound power clean.
to replace injured veteran journeyman Jamie Martin, Fitzpatrick led the Rams from a 24-3 halftime deficit to a 33-27 overtime win, throwing for 310 yards and three touchdowns, completing 63.3% of his passes and 117.4 QB rating for the game. This made Fitzpatrick one of only six players who passed for more 300 yards in their NFL debut. The others were Otto Graham
, 346 yards (1950); Ed Rubbert
, 334 (a replacement player for the Washington Redskins
during the 1987 strike); Mark Rypien
, 303 (1988), Peyton Manning
, 302 (1998), and Cam Newton
, 422 (2011). The win earned him the next three starts, although he was unable to come close to his debut performance. The nadir came two weeks later in a 13-27 loss to the Minnesota Vikings
in which he threw for 235 yards, no touchdowns, and five interceptions for a QB rating of 32.4 for the game. He was replaced by Martin after halftime the following week, after struggling in a home game against the Philadelphia Eagles
in which he completed just 41.7% of his passes for a total of 69 yards.
.
A restricted free agent
in the 2008 offseason, Fitzpatrick signed his one-year tender offer from the Bengals on April 17. Due to an injury to starting quarterback Carson Palmer
, Fitzpatrick made his first Bengals start on September 28, 2008 against the Cleveland Browns
. Fitzpatrick was not only the leading passer, but also the leading rusher in the Bengals' 20-12 loss. With Carson Palmer
sitting out the game on October 12, 2008, Fitzpatrick got the start against the New York Jets
, and every other game that season.
During the 2008 NFL season, Fitzpatrick finished third in rushing yards among quarterbacks.
on February 27, 2009. He made his first appearance on October 18, 2009 against the New York Jets when starter Trent Edwards went down with an injury, leading the Bills to a 16-13 overtime win, while throwing for 116 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
On November 18, 2009 he was named the starting quarterback of the Buffalo Bills by interim head coach Perry Fewell
who took over the coaching duties after former coach Dick Jauron
was fired.
On September 20, 2010, Fitzpatrick replaced Trent Edwards
as the starting quarterback.
In a 49-31 comeback win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Fitzpatrick threw for 316 yards and 4 touchdowns, including 3 to Steve Johnson
. This performance marked the first time in NFL history that a team had come back from 17 points down to win by 18 or more.
During the second week of the 2011 season, Fitzpatrick led the Bills to touchdown drives on five straight possessions in the second half to rally pass the Raiders. It was the first time in league history a team had scored offensive touchdowns on five straight possessions in the second half.
In the 2011 season, Fitzpatrick was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September.
On October 28 2011, Fitzpatrick signed a six year, $59 million contract extension.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Harvard.
Early years
Fitzpatrick was a three-sport (football, basketball and track) star at Highland High SchoolHighland High School (Gilbert, Arizona)
Highland High School is a public high school located in Gilbert, Arizona, serving as part of the Gilbert Unified School District. The school has served the area since 1993.-Robotics:...
in Gilbert, Arizona
Gilbert, Arizona
-Demographics:As of July 1, 2009, Maricopa Association of Governments, Census 2000. United States Census Bureau. there were 217,521 people, 74,147 housing units, and 3.01 persons per household....
. Fitzpatrick was a Second-team Class 5A All-state selection, adding Arizona High School All-Star team, Fiesta Region first team and Fiesta Region MVP honors as a senior. He set 12 school records as a Highland Hawk and one state mark (throwing a 99-yard touchdown pass) while leading the team to the state playoffs from 1998–2000 and to the 1999 Fiesta Region title. He graduated in the top 1 percent of his class.
Collegiate career
At Harvard, Fitzpatrick had five starts during the 2001 and 2002 seasons. In 2001, he completed 25 of 37 passes (67.6 percent) for 323 yards and a pair of touchdowns and followed that in 2002 by completing 94 of 150 attempts (62.7 percent) for 1,155 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for five scores and 523 yards on 115 carries (4.5 avg.) that year.Fitzpatrick took over the starting job in 2003. Fitzpatrick finished his junior campaign completing 107 of 178 passes (60.1 percent) for 1,770 yards, 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions in seven games. He also carried 109 times for 430 yards (3.9 avg.) and six scores.
In 2004 Fitzpatrick would earn Ivy League MVP honors (Asa S. Bushnell Cup) as he amassed 1,986 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions on 158 of 276 passing (57.2 percent) and led Harvard to a 10-0 record as a senior. He ranked second on the team with 118 carries for 448 yards (3.8 avg.) and five scores in 2004.
For his career, Fitzpatrick connected on 384 of 641 passes (59.9 percent) for 5,234 yards, 39 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He collected 1,487 yards with 16 scores on 365 carries (4.1 avg.) and totaled 6,721 yards, an average of 224.0 yards per game, while seeing action in 30 contests. He ranks second on Harvard's career list for pass completions, touchdowns, yards passing and pass completion percentage, topped only by Neil Rose (5,949 yards, 41 touchdowns, 455 completions, 62.4 percent, 1998–2002). His 641 pass attempts rank fourth in school history. His 1,006 total plays for 6,721 yards in total offense broke the old school career records of 1,005 plays by Mike Giardi (1991–93) and 6,519 yards by Rose. He is the first quarterback in Harvard history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a career.
Pre-draft
As is the case for most incoming NFL rookies, Fitzpatrick took the Wonderlic TestWonderlic Test
The Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test is a twelve-minute, fifty-question test used to assess the aptitude of prospective employees for learning and problem-solving in a range of occupations. The test was developed by industrial psychologist Eldon F. Wonderlic...
. A draft commentary on the NFL's official website reported that he made a perfect score, while setting a speed record by completing the exam in nine minutes. According to a The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
report that appeared in the September 30, 2005, edition, Fitzpatrick scored a 48 on the exam, not a 50—still considered an exceptionally high score, but the claim that he completed the test in nine minutes is accurate. While his actual score is unknown, he has been quoted acknowledging he left at least one question blank. As the Wonderlic score is the number of correct answers to 50 questions, the best he could have scored would be a 49.
The only player to earn a verified perfect score on the Wonderlic test was also a Harvard graduate: wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
/punter
Punter (football position)
A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...
Pat McInally
Pat McInally
John Patrick "Pat" McInally , is a former punter and wide receiver for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals from 1976 to 1985.-Early career:...
, who played his entire career with the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
.
Additionally, Fitzpatrick ran a 4.86 in the 40-yard dash had a 295-pound bench press and 415-pound squat and 325-pound power clean.
St. Louis Rams
Fitzpatrick played his first NFL game on November 27, 2005. Coming into the eleventh game of the regular season in the second quarter against the Houston TexansHouston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
to replace injured veteran journeyman Jamie Martin, Fitzpatrick led the Rams from a 24-3 halftime deficit to a 33-27 overtime win, throwing for 310 yards and three touchdowns, completing 63.3% of his passes and 117.4 QB rating for the game. This made Fitzpatrick one of only six players who passed for more 300 yards in their NFL debut. The others were Otto Graham
Otto Graham
Otto Everett Graham, Jr. was a professional American football and basketball player who played for the Cleveland Browns in both the All-America Football Conference and National Football League, as well as the Rochester Royals in the National Basketball League.-Early life:Born in Waukegan,...
, 346 yards (1950); Ed Rubbert
Ed Rubbert
Edward Rubbert is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins as a member of the Redskins' replacement team during the 1987 NFL players' strike. Rubbert played college football for the University of Louisville...
, 334 (a replacement player for the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
during the 1987 strike); Mark Rypien
Mark Rypien
Mark Robert Rypien is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He is the first Canadian-born quarterback to start in the NFL.-Biography:...
, 303 (1988), Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
, 302 (1998), and Cam Newton
Cam Newton
Cameron Lemark Newton is a former American football safety. He played college football at Furman University, then played two seasons in the NFL, one each for the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers. He was cut from the Panthers before the 2007 season...
, 422 (2011). The win earned him the next three starts, although he was unable to come close to his debut performance. The nadir came two weeks later in a 13-27 loss to the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in which he threw for 235 yards, no touchdowns, and five interceptions for a QB rating of 32.4 for the game. He was replaced by Martin after halftime the following week, after struggling in a home game against the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in which he completed just 41.7% of his passes for a total of 69 yards.
Cincinnati Bengals
On September 1, 2007, Fitzpatrick was traded to the Bengals for a seventh-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
.
A restricted free agent
Restricted free agent
A restricted free agent is a professional athlete who plays in the KHL, NFL, NHL, or NBA. Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain or change employment status with their athletic club teams.- NFL :...
in the 2008 offseason, Fitzpatrick signed his one-year tender offer from the Bengals on April 17. Due to an injury to starting quarterback Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
, Fitzpatrick made his first Bengals start on September 28, 2008 against the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Fitzpatrick was not only the leading passer, but also the leading rusher in the Bengals' 20-12 loss. With Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
sitting out the game on October 12, 2008, Fitzpatrick got the start against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and every other game that season.
During the 2008 NFL season, Fitzpatrick finished third in rushing yards among quarterbacks.
Buffalo Bills
Fitzpatrick signed with the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on February 27, 2009. He made his first appearance on October 18, 2009 against the New York Jets when starter Trent Edwards went down with an injury, leading the Bills to a 16-13 overtime win, while throwing for 116 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
On November 18, 2009 he was named the starting quarterback of the Buffalo Bills by interim head coach Perry Fewell
Perry Fewell
Perry Fewell is an American football coach who currently serves as the Defensive Coordinator of the New York Giants. Before that he served as the interim head coach and defensive coordinator of the National Football League's Buffalo Bills...
who took over the coaching duties after former coach Dick Jauron
Dick Jauron
Richard Manuel Jauron is the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was the head coach for the Buffalo Bills from 2006 until November 2009. Jauron has previously held head coaching positions with the Chicago Bears and, on an interim basis, with the...
was fired.
On September 20, 2010, Fitzpatrick replaced Trent Edwards
Trent Edwards
Trent Edwards is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
as the starting quarterback.
In a 49-31 comeback win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Fitzpatrick threw for 316 yards and 4 touchdowns, including 3 to Steve Johnson
Steve Johnson (American football)
-Buffalo Bills:Johnson was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.His first reception came in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals, and went for 8 yards. In Week 15, against the New York Jets, Johnson caught his first touchdown reception, a two-yard pass from J. P....
. This performance marked the first time in NFL history that a team had come back from 17 points down to win by 18 or more.
During the second week of the 2011 season, Fitzpatrick led the Bills to touchdown drives on five straight possessions in the second half to rally pass the Raiders. It was the first time in league history a team had scored offensive touchdowns on five straight possessions in the second half.
In the 2011 season, Fitzpatrick was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September.
On October 28 2011, Fitzpatrick signed a six year, $59 million contract extension.
Career statistics
| Year | |G | |Passing | |Rushing | |Sacked | |Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Sack | YdsL | Fum | FumL | ||||
| 2005 2005 NFL season The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006... | STL 2005 St. Louis Rams season The 2005 St. Louis Rams season was the team's 68th year with the National Football League and the 11th season in St. Louis.-Schedule:-Standings:... |
4 | 3 | 76 | 135 | 56.3 | 777 | 5.8 | 4 | 8 | 58.2 | 14 | 64 | 4.6 | 2 | 9 | 49 | 3 | 1 |
| 2006 2006 NFL season The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006... | STL 2006 St. Louis Rams season The 2006 St. Louis Rams season was the team's 69th year with the National Football League and the 12th season in St. Louis. The season began with the Rams trying to improve on their 6-10 record from 2005 under new head coach Scott Linehan.-Offseason:... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 2007 NFL season The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30.... | CIN 2007 Cincinnati Bengals season The 2007 Cincinnati Bengals season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and their 40th overall season. The team attempted to improve upon their 8–8 record in 2006 and were looking to return to the playoffs after narrowly missing them... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 2008 NFL season The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the... | CIN 2008 Cincinnati Bengals season The 2008 Cincinnati Bengals season was the 39th season for the team in the National Football League and their 41st overall season. The team finished the season with 4 wins, 11 losses, and 1 tie, and did not qualify for the playoffs for the 3rd consecutive year.-Coaching changes:This season marked... |
13 | 12 | 221 | 372 | 59.4 | 1905 | 5.1 | 8 | 9 | 70.0 | 60 | 304 | 5.1 | 2 | 38 | 193 | 11 | 5 |
| 2009 2009 NFL season The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at... | BUF 2009 Buffalo Bills season The 2009 Buffalo Bills season was the 50th Professional Football season for the original American Football League team, and its 40th in the NFL... |
10 | 8 | 127 | 227 | 55.9 | 1422 | 6.3 | 9 | 10 | 69.7 | 31 | 141 | 4.5 | 1 | 21 | 127 | 3 | 2 |
| 2010 2010 NFL season The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,... | BUF 2010 Buffalo Bills season The 2010 Buffalo Bills season was the team's 41st season in the National Football League, and their 51st overall. It was Buffalo's first season with Buddy Nix in the role of general manager and head coach Chan Gailey.... |
13 | 13 | 255 | 441 | 57.8 | 3000 | 6.8 | 23 | 15 | 81.8 | 40 | 269 | 6.7 | 0 | 24 | 145 | 4 | 0 |
| 2011 2011 NFL season The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on... | BUF 2011 Buffalo Bills season The 2011 Buffalo Bills season is the team's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. The Bills hope to improve on their record from the 2010 season, and attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999, the longest standing playoff drought in the NFL, which is... |
8 | 8 | 170 | 260 | 65.4 | 1930 | 7.4 | 15 | 9 | 92.3 | 22 | 53 | 2.4 | 0 | 8 | 56 | 3 | 1 |
| Total | 49 | 44 | 849 | 1435 | 59.2 | 9034 | 6.3 | 59 | 51 | 76.5 | 170 | 831 | 4.9 | 5 | 100 | 570 | 28 | 14 | |