Ryan Fitzpatrick’s time with the Miami Dolphins always had an expiration date.
He was the Dolphins’ bridge, coach Brian Flores’ first starting quarterback.
He was the wily and refreshing gunslinger who sported a luscious, dirty blonde beard and brought life to Miami after seven seasons of Ryan Tannehill.
His FitzMagic led the Dolphins to thrilling, game-winning victories against the New England Patriots to end the 2019 season, and the Las Vegas Raiders in his final game as a Dolphin.
His love for the game was ever so evident when he tried to scrimmage shortly after finding out his mother died last August. Flores wrapped his arm around Fitzpatrick and walked him off the Hard Rock Stadium field so he could go be with his family. Two days later, Fitzpatrick returned for the next practice.
His leadership helped Dolphins like receiver DeVante Parker and tight end Mike Gesicki to realize their potential, and he forged friendships with so many other coaches and teammates with his insight and humor along the way.
Fitzpatrick’s time with the Dolphins was short but special. And it came to a bittersweet end, with the veteran quarterback agreeing to a one-year, $10 million deal with the Washington Football Team in free agency late Monday night.
Fitzpatrick has played in the NFL for 16 seasons with the St. Louis Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Dolphins.
He’s the only quarterback in NFL history to throw a touchdown for eight different teams, throw for more than 300 yards in a game for seven teams, and throw four touchdowns in a game for six teams.
And he leaves Miami just like he’s left his previous stops in the NFL, looking for another chance to compete for a starting quarterback job, and play the game he loves. He’ll have that opportunity again in Washington.
For the Dolphins, it’s another indication the franchise is invested in Tua Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback.
But even that conviction weighs in the balance with the Dolphins holding assets capable of landing star Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson in a blockbuster trade.
Although Fitzpatrick, 38, went 9-11 in 20 starts with Miami, he finished the 2020 season with the NFL’s fifth-best quarterback rating. He trailed only Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and an improved Tannehill — showing signs some of his best football could still be ahead of him.
He joined Dan Marino as the only Dolphins starters to throw for more than 400 yards with four touchdowns in a game (419 against Cincinnati Bengals in 2019).
He mentored Tagovailoa and former backup Josh Rosen. He helped the Dolphins win just five games in Flores’ first season, but none more memorable than the 2019 season finale against the New England Patriots.
Fitzpatrick threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Gesicki. Flores got his first win over his old boss Bill Belichick. And it was Miami’s first win in Foxborough, Mass., in 11 years.
It also came in Tom Brady’s final regular-season game in New England, dealing a blow to the Brady-Belichick dynasty, which ended one game later.
After Tagovailoa was taken with the No. 5 pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Fitzpatrick got to enjoy one last ride with Chan Gailey, his offensive coordinator with the Bills from 2009-12 and Jets from 2015-16.
Fitzpatrick led the Dolphins to a 3-3 start before Tagovailoa took over as the Dolphins’ starting quarterback. Fitzpatrick started one more game later in the season and came on in relief in two others.
One of those closing appearances saw him complete his final Dolphins pass while his head and helmet were violently twisted toward the left sideline as receiver Mack Hollins waited for the reception that set up Jason Sanders’ game-winning field goal on Dec. 27, 2020.
Fitzpatrick’s final dynamic play even warranted consideration for him to start over Tagovailoa against the Bills in the 2020 season finale with a playoff berth on the line.
Unfortunately for Fitzpatrick, he landed on the NFL’s COVID-19 list during the final week of the season and his presence was sorely missed on the sidelines in Miami’s blowout loss in Buffalo.
The Dolphins’ pursuit for a new backup quarterback behind Tagovailoa is another need to be addressed in free agency this week and before the 2021 NFL draft in late April.
FitzMagic has come to an end in South Florida, but Fitzpatrick’s time with the Miami Dolphins will be remembered fondly.