Fitzmagic is back.
Former Jets — and Bills and Rams and Bengals and Titans and Texans and Buccaneers — quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick officially earned his latest starting gig, when Dolphins coach Brian Flores announced the 36-year-old would lead Miami against the Ravens in the Sept. 8 season opener.
Fitzpatrick, the Harvard graduate who was selected with the 250th pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, won his latest quarterback competition over 22-year-old former first-round pick Josh Rosen.
“I know I have more confidence in myself than anybody in the world,” Fitzpatrick told reporters Thursday night. “Sometimes that’s a detriment, but a lot of times that works in my favor. I’m always confident in who I am and what I am as a player. This is where I wanted to be and what I worked to get.”
Appearing in eight games with Tampa Bay last season, Fitzpatrick posted some of the best numbers of his winding career, completing 66.7 percent of his passes while throwing for 9.6 yards per attempt and posting a 100.4 quarterback rating.
Fitzpatrick signed a two-year deal with the Dolphins this offseason. When he takes the field for them in Week 1, he will become the first quarterback in NFL history to start for eight different teams.
“I’m excited to get out there and lead this team and do the best I can out there,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s a situation I’ve been in for multiple franchises, and I’ll lean on my experience a little bit and try to get the guys out there, everybody on the same page, great communication, and playing with a lot of excitement.”
Rosen, who was dealt by the Cardinals after they drafted Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick, is the latest young quarterback kept off the field by Fitzpatrick, who previously won battles over Jameis Winston, Geno Smith and Trent Edwards.
“The battle and competition never stops,” Rosen said. “I’ll push him every single day for him to get better, and if he doesn’t get better, hopefully I’ll surpass him at some point. I’m rooting for him more than anyone.
“On this progression, I think the future will be pretty bright [for me]. I’m excited. I wouldn’t say it’s a setback, but it’s part of the journey. It’s only [a matter of] time that this team is mine, but until then I’m going to be as supportive of a backup as I can and push him every single day.”
Flores agreed Rosen’s time will come. But not until time runs out on Fitzmagic.
“Playing quarterback in this league takes some time,” Flores said of Rosen. “He’s in a new offense. I think he’ll get there. When? I don’t know. A lot of that is up to him. He knows that.”
