Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened. Even though Ryan Fitzpatrick didn’t spend much time with the Los Angeles Rams to begin his career, he should be recognized following his retirement from the NFL after 17 seasons.
The Rams selected Fitzpatrick in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL draft out of Harvard. He would begin his career as a third-string quarterback to Marc Bulger and Jamie Martin, starting in three games as a rookie.
After two seasons with the Rams, Fitzpatrick would proceed to have a memorable career where he played for nearly half the league. The team he spent the most time with was the Buffalo Bills from 2009 to 2012.
Upon his retirement, Fitzpatrick finishes his playing career with 34,990 passing yards, 223 passing touchdowns, and 169 interceptions. The 39-year-old signal-caller would spend his final season in the NFL with the Washington Commanders, where he started in just one game in 2021 due to a hip injury.
Throughout his legendary career, Fitzpatrick went through quite a transformation. When he entered the league as a member of the Rams, he was a clean-shaven quarterback out of Harvard. But in recent years, he became a fully-bearded man that wasn’t a fan of buttons on shirts.
If you were to tell someone about the legend of Fitzpatrick, they would likely tell you that you conjured up a fictional character in your head. While Fitzpatrick’s playing days appear to be over, there are reports that he’s going to be beginning a career as an analyst on TV, so his beard and personality won’t disappear for too long.
