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Pass/Fail: Ryan Fitzpatrick Talks Benching for Tua Tagovailoa, Says It 'Broke His Heart'

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Ryan Fitzpatrick Talks Benching for Tua Tagovailoa, Says It 'Broke His Heart'
TYLER CONWAYOCTOBER 21, 20200
Alerted 21h ago in the B/R App
MIAMI DOLPHINS ALERTS

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

So much for the Miami Dolphins and Ryan Fitzpatrick having a mutual understanding on Tua Tagovailoa's takeover of the starting quarterback job.
Fitzpatrick met with reporters Wednesday and laid bare his emotions after being benched, saying the decision "broke his heart."

"I was shocked by it. It definitely caught me off guard. It was a hard thing for me to hear yesterday, just digesting the news. My heart just hurt all day," Fitzpatrick said.

"I felt like it was my team," he added.

The Dolphins made the switch to Tagovailoa on Tuesday despite the fact that Fitzpatrick led the team to a 3-3 record and back-to-back wins by double digits. Fitzpatrick has thrown for 1,535 yards and 10 touchdowns against seven interceptions, producing the seventh-best (79.6) QBR in the NFL. Pro Football Focus also gives Fitzpatrick a solid 75.3 grade on the season.


From a purely win-now perspective, the move does not make all that much sense, and Fitzpatrick was clearly blindsided.

"I basically got fired yesterday, and my day today consisted of Zoom meetings with the guy who fired me and sitting in a room with the guy who replaced me for four hours," Fitzpatrick told reporters.

This situation could all be leading to a trade of Fitzpatrick ahead of the Nov. 3 deadline. There are several teams with playoff aspirations that could use a bump at the quarterback spot, including the Dallas Cowboys. It's likely that Fitzpatrick would at least be a marginal upgrade over Andy Dalton, who struggled in his debut as the starter last week after Dak Prescott's season-ending injury.











Regardless, Fitz does not appear to be the veteran willing to happily hold a clipboard the rest of the season.
 
Amish Rifle disarmed and dismayed
Ron Borges
20 minutes ago
The Amish Rifle may have fired his last shot. No one is more baffled by that than The Rifleman himself.
Ryan Fitzpatrick has had the most unlikely of NFL careers. Drafted in the seventh round out of Harvard, he has found a way to last for 16 years in a business where the average career length is 3 ½ years. He has started 145 games, played on eight teams and been let go by seven of them. So perhaps it should have come as no shock when Dolphins’ coach Brian Flores told him Tuesday he was handing the ball and Miami’s offense to young Tua Tagovailoa, the former No. 1 draft choice who entered the NFL rehabbing a dreadful knee injury that for a time looked like it might end his career before it had even begun.
If you play in the NFL and want to find loyalty buy a dictionary or a puppy because that is the only place you will find it. Guys like Flores are loyal to no one. They are paid to win not lead a Boy Scout troop. As one long-time NFL assistant once told me, “We’re coaches. We’re all whores for talent.’’
That seemed a bit harsh but also fairly accurate so Fitzpatrick’s stunned reaction to being benched in favor of the kid seen as the Dolphins’ future might seem strange at first, especially from a Harvard man who has always understood the long odds he faced in the NFL.

Yet when you’ve just led your team to back-to-back victories by throwing six touchdown passes, have won three of your last four games, have a 95.0 quarterback rating and are posting a passing accuracy percentage of 70.1%, 10% above your career average, you can’t be faulted for believing you’d created momentary job assurance. Yet the truth is a guy like the 37-year-old Fitzpatrick has less job assurance than a West Virginia coalminer.
Fitzpatrick’s emotions spilled out Wednesday, 24 hours after he’d been told he’d lost his job, when he said repeatedly that he was “heartbroken” and that “my heart was so heavy yesterday.’’ He bit his lower lip each time he said it, his thick hedgerow of a beard still hiding the remnants of what he’d had for breakfast but unable to hide his emotions.
Yet leave it to a Harvard Man to frame in a unique way what he was going through on his first day back at work after learning he would no longer be under center when the Dolphins next play in 10 days.
“This profession is interesting in that the guy that fired me – I basically got fired yesterday and then my day of work today consisted of me in Zoom meetings listening to the guy that fired me, and then locked in a spaced-out room with my replacement for four hours today,’’ Fitzgerald said. “So there aren’t a whole lot of jobs that are like that.

“But I know how difficult it is to play the quarterback position, and I know that that room is so important to the guy that’s playing in terms of everybody having your back and pulling in the same direction. So today’s the day to digest a little bit, and we’ll get away for the bye a little bit. But once this thing starts up again I’ve got to do my best for Tua to help him out because there’s two separate situations here. One is with Tua – and I want him to do well and I think he’s a great kid and I think he has a really bright future. And the other one is my feelings and just kind of what I’m going through and that has to be separate from when I walk into this building and help him out. I’ve got to separate those feelings from trying to be professional and help him out as best I can.’’
Those are the words of a man dealing with a harsh reality. It is one thing to lose your job for poor performance. It is quite another to have righted your team’s ship and won three of your last four to even Miami’s record at 3-3 only to be laid off. While versions of this scenario have played out all across the American labor landscape since the arrival of Covid-19 on our shores, the difference is, as the Amish Rifle put it so well, he was fired and then had to sit and listen to the guy he has to believe unfairly fired him for four hours talk about “next game.’’ For who?
Fitzpatrick never deluded himself into thinking he was the long-term answer in Miami. He understood from the moment the Dolphins drafted Tagovailoa that he was little more than a placeholder. He even alluded to that the day after Flores fired him, saying he always understood it was “a matter of when not if.’’
What he never expected, though, was he would lose the job under the present circumstances, ones in which he was playing good football, his team was responding to him and his backup had never taken so much as a snap against live fire until late last Sunday at the end of a blowout victory over the Jets that had been to a great extent been made possible by Fitzpatrick throwing three touchdown passes.

Maybe it was the two interceptions he also threw on Sunday that convinced Flores to fire him. Maybe it was as simple as Tagovailoa looking healthy and ready in practice and deciding the best way to start a new era was to do so with two weeks to prepare him.
Who knows? All “The Amish Rifle” knew on Tuesday was that his gun was now empty. Maybe for good.
“There was a lot of stuff going through my mind yesterday, just from a personal standpoint, not necessarily with the team,’’ Fitzpatrick admitted. “Is this it? Like, was that my last game as an NFL player in terms of being the starter and going out there and playing?’’
Even for a guy who 16 years ago probably never thought he’d start a single game let alone nearly 200 it was a bitter pill to swallow. Yet when Tagovailoa praised Fitzpatrick by saying, “I hate to say it like this but it is like this. It’s like a father-and-son thing’’ he was speaking the truth too.
In the end, the son almost always out lasts the father. So it has been this week for “The Amish Rifle,’’ a loaded gun suddenly disarmed and put away in the back of a meeting room to wait. For what?
Well, in the NFL you never know about loyalty. Like players, it comes and goes.
 
img_7319.jpg
 
www.cbssports.com

Dolphins' Brian Flores explains the 'very tough decision' to start Tua Tagovailoa over Ryan Fitzpatrick

Flores is upset that he was not able to address the move with his team before it leaked out to the public
www.cbssports.com www.cbssports.com

Dolphins' Brian Flores explains the 'very tough decision' to start Tua Tagovailoa over Ryan Fitzpatrick
Flores is upset that he was not able to address the move with his team before it leaked out to the public
https://www.cbssports.com/writers/bryan-deardo/

By Bryan DeArdo

Oct 21, 2020 at 11:42 am ET2 min read




Getty Images
Brian Flores spent the majority of his 13-minute Wednesday morning press conference fielding questions about his decision to start Tua Tagovailoa over Ryan Fitzpatrick moving forward. The Dolphins officially announced the switch on Wednesday morning, less than 24 hours after reports surfaced that that Tagovailoa would be replacing Fitzpatrick, who has helped the Dolphins post a 3-3 record heading into their Week 7 bye.
Flores, who is in the middle of his second season as the Dolphins' coach, said that the decision, while difficult, was "the best thing for the team" moving forward. Tagovailoa, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 draft, completed his first two NFL passes near the end of Sunday's 24-0 win over the Jets. His first career start will take place at home against the Rams in Week 8.

"Fitz has been great," Flores told reporters. "I don't know if anybody has been more instrumental in trying to instill a culture and embody a lot of the things we're looking for in terms of toughness, competitiveness, [being] team first. He's made an impact on Tua but a lot of other players on this team. I have great respect for him, and that made this decision very tough. But at the end of the day, we felt like this was the best move for our team now moving forward. But we feel like with Fitz, the way he handles himself and his impact on this team, I feel like it will still be there. But he's been a tremendous asset and leader on this team."


Ryan Fitzpatrick
MIA • QB • 14
Fitzpatrick is completing a career-high 70.1% of his passes through six games.
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After a 1-3 start, the Dolphins have won consecutive games by a combined score of 67-17. While Miami's defense has played a major role in the Dolphins' recent turnaround, Fitzpatrick also played a significant role, throwing six touchdowns and completing 73% of his passes over the past two games. Flores said that he does not anticipate the offense undergoing significant changes with Tagovailoa under center. Flores did stress multiple times that it will take a team effort as it relates to how successful the Dolphins' offense will be moving forward.

"I'm confident in all of our players, Tua included," Flores said. "He's practiced well, he's worked hard in meetings and walkthroughs. He's got good rapport with teammates. I'm confident that, if he prepares the way that he's been preparing, I'm confident that we'll go out and have good results. But it's not a one man game. It's football. We'll need all 11 guys to go out there and play together [and] play as a team. And I'm confident that we can do that."

Flores did not hide his disappointment in how the news of Miami's quarterback switch was announced, as he said that he would have preferred to address the team of his decision before it was leaked to the public.

"Unfortunately, that's the way of the world right now," Flores said. "That's unfortunate. I'm not happy about that at all. I'll address that to the team and apologize to the team that they had to find out through social media. I don't think that's fair to them."

:idea:

hmmm what OTHER COACH would do this or be ASKED or EXPECTED to APOLOGIZE to the QB?
 
Miami Dolphins' decision to start Tua Tagovailoa 'heartbreaking,' Ryan Fitzpatrick says
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An error occurred during video playback, possibly due to network connectivity or being in a backgrounded browser tab. Please try again.
3:08 PM ET
  • Cameron WolfeESPN Staff Writer
One day after Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores elevated rookie Tua Tagovailoa to starting quarterback, the recently demoted Ryan Fitzpatrick said the timing of the move "broke my heart," as he wonders whether he has started his last NFL game.
"I was shocked by it. It definitely caught me off guard. It was a hard thing for me to hear yesterday, just kind of digesting the news. My heart just hurt all day. It was heartbreaking for me," Fitzpatrick said Wednesday. "Flo kind of said what he said and said what he said to you guys as well, and that's the decision and the direction that the organization is going in."

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"Obviously we've talked in the past, me and you guys, about how I'm the placeholder and this eventually was going to happen," Fitzpatrick added. "It was just a matter of kind of when, not if. It still just ... it broke my heart yesterday. It's a tough thing for me to hear and to now have to deal with, but I'm going to do my best with it."
EDITOR'S PICKS
The decision hurt Fitzpatrick even more because he was playing some of the best football of his career -- leading the Dolphins to back-to-back blowout wins. The unquestioned leader of the team had a 79.6 QBR that ranks seventh in the NFL.
Fitzpatrick, 37, said he appreciated Flores telling him the news face-to-face in his office Tuesday morning. There appears to be no use wondering "why now?" because the decision seems final and he has to accept his new role.
"There was a lot of stuff going through my mind yesterday, just from a personal standpoint, not necessarily with the team," Fitzpatrick said. "Is this it? Like, was that my last game as an NFL player in terms of being the starter and going out there and playing?
I've been a starter, I've been benched all kinds of different ways, but this one just really more so than any of them ... this organization and what we've been through the last year and a half, this was kind of the first place other than Buffalo where I just felt fully committed and invested and felt like it was my team. To have that, I think that's a lot of the reason why I just ... my heart was so heavy yesterday. But that's the direction that the organization and I've just got to accept it."
Fitzpatrick said he would not ask for or demand a trade. It was a bittersweet day for the Dolphins' locker room as they watched Fitzpatrick's immense disappointment coupled with Tagovailoa's happiness in finally achieving his dream nearly a year after suffering an injury that nearly ended his career.
Tagovailoa said Flores called him Tuesday morning with the news, and he was "very excited" to hear it, but "I also felt for Fitz as well."
"Although it hurts me in a way to see Fitz hurt, I'm just very, very lucky to have someone like Fitz in my corner, regardless of the situation we're in right now," Tagovailoa said. "I hate to say it like this, but it is like this: It's like a father-and-son thing."
Tagovailoa made his NFL debut Sunday in garbage time, completing his only two throws for 9 yards. He soaked in the moment, coming back on the field after the game to FaceTime his parents and reminisce on all he's overcome from a career-threatening November 2019 hip injury to playing in an NFL game.
Nov. 1 will mark 351 days since that injury, and Tagovailoa will make his first NFL start versus the Los Angeles Rams.
"Well, it's definitely been a journey," Tagovailoa said. "I definitely think of that injury, when I got hurt. And then the process leading up to being able to walk, being able to do football drills, and being able to do things in general. I definitely do reflect on that process that I went through, and I'm definitely blessed to still be here playing the game I grew up dreaming of playing."
Fitzpatrick and Tagovailoa had a discussion about the move. Teammates also were briefed on the move Wednesday by Flores, and the general reaction has been excitement for Tagovailoa. Both quarterbacks have a ton of support in the locker room, but Tagovailoa has been recognized as the future.
"He's a smart, collected young man. He's very smart. He's very calm. He's definitely going to be a future great player in this league. We're all excited. We all know what he can do," linebacker Jerome Baker said. "We're ready to go. We believe in Tua. He definitely can get the job done."
But for Fitzpatrick, this is a rough week. A demotion when at the peak of your performance is never easy. He hasn't made any decisions about his long-term future, but he made it clear that he likes "playing a lot more than I do sitting and watching."

"This profession is interesting in that the guy that fired me -- I basically got fired yesterday and then my day of work today consisted of me in Zoom meetings listening to the guy that fired me, and then [was] locked in a spaced-out room with my replacement for four hours today. So there aren't a whole lot of jobs that are like that," Fitzpatrick said. "But I know how difficult it is to play the quarterback position, and I know that that room is so important to the guy that's playing in terms of everybody having your back and pulling in the same direction.
"So today's the day to digest a little bit, and we'll get away for the bye a little bit. But, yeah, once this thing starts up again, I've got to do my best for Tua to help him out. Because there's two separate situations here. One is with Tua -- and I want him to do well and I think he's a great kid and I think he has a really bright future. And the other one is my feelings and just kind of what I'm going through. And that has to be separate from when I walk into this building and help him out. I've got to separate those feelings from trying to be a professional and help him out as best I can."
 
I call bullshit and a reason to shit on a black coach who is turning that raggedy ass team around.

Flores went through 2 losing season they got the quarterback of the future. Now is the time to get him acclimated with playing professionally and game speed.

Most importantly setting up for next year.

But you know when its time to start winning the last thing they want to see is Flores ass on the sidelines running shit.

It's the same fucking thing the lions did to Jim Caldwell :angry: :curse: :angry:
 
Now Fitzpatrick feels how black people have felt in this country for decades. Being the placeholder, doing a good job and then replaced by someone from another race

I want to hit him with the Eddie Kane jr. "How does it feel to be me"
 
It’s funny because Russel Wilson looks strait up Polynesian. Tua looks more Black than Russel and he’s not even Black LOL

maxresdefault.jpg
 
I get why dude is upset. He was playing well. I think he realizes it's probably over as a starter.

Shit, no one knows how delicate Tua is. He could injured or just play like shit and Fitz could be right back in. Who knows.....
 
Dr. Truth said:
It’s funny because Russel Wilson looks strait up Polynesian. Tua looks more Black than Russel and he’s not even Black LOL

maxresdefault.jpg
Click to expand...
Yo I think he need to ask his mom a few questions about his daddy because that dude got a some Black in him from somewhere.
 
I got 7 INTs for why he inst playing. Fitz has always been the leagues mop up boy for bad Franchises. Hes a turnover machine thats always destin for a 6 to 7 win season.

Tua is the future and Fitz is a never was. If he were black he would be a backup at best or not even in the league. His Harvard education and his ability to pick up an offense fast are good but he'll never be Brett Farve. He should be thankful that there are Bum franchises like the Bengles, Jets, and Buafflo willing to let him stink it up for draft picks.

They are act like Josh Allen got benched for Tyrod Taylor ro Bree is getting replaced by Winston. That being said, he might make a great coach someday. Hes gotten the most out of his limited abilities and should be able to coach better talent into no making mistakes (INTs) like he has.

At 37, dude needs to take the message and ask for a headset to go with a clipboard so he can get a head start on being a Head Coach. Kellen Moore is on rhe fast track to be HC and I feel Fitz may be able to excel if given a chance
 
Last edited:
playahaitian said:
Oh these white so called experts are throwing the BIGGEST pity party for him...

he cares he is hurt they did him dirty I even think the black coach there may have APOLOGIZED.
Click to expand...
You see it?

The buddy system doesn't work for us, ya'll be working with 80k a year white men who do nothing all day and suck at their job but they have friends in there.

We get shown the door.
 
totto said:
You see it?

The buddy system doesn't work for us, ya'll be working with 80k a year white men who do nothing all day and suck at their job but they have friends in there.

We get shown the door.
Click to expand...

FACTS

I don;t wanna flood this thread with the absurd contracts these horrible white back ups get...

and no one says a PEEP NOTHING

till it s a BLACK BACK UP QB
 
At the beginning of the season Fitz said he knows he's just holding it down until its Tua's turn.

Now he's saying he's shocked and thought it was his team???

We are 500. We dont want to be 500. anymore! We know Fitz can get us to 8 - 8 and maybe even 9 - 7. But we dont wanna be that anymore!

You draft a QB 5th overall, you build for your future!

Fitz really did us dirty by crying about it to the media. He's replaced guys before. Did they go cry about it like he did?

He fucked Flores too.

Ya'll wanna know how it leaked? As soon as Fitz got the news he called his agent. His agent leaked it.

Fuck him.
 

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