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Veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has been a steadying influence on Jets and their young quarterbacks
November 21, 2015 9:40 PM
By KIMBERLEY A. MARTIN
HOUSTON - First came the invitation to visit his home in Arizona. Then the text message arrived.
It didn't take long for Bryce Petty to realize that Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't a typical NFL quarterback.
The quarterbacks talked about life and about football. They caught frogs with Fitzpatrick's sons and made his girls squeal with fright. And in the process, Petty gained insight into Fitzpatrick the family man.
But it was the training-camp text message he received that fully encapsulated Fitzpatrick: Smart. Self-assured. Supportive.
In a world in which job security is fleeting, the heightened expectations of NFL executives often stunt the development of young quarterbacks. In some cases, veteran passers are too focused on their own longevity to aid in the maturation of their understudies.
But Fitzpatrick isn't one of those people. And that's why he texted video of one of Petty's throws during training camp with some encouraging words.
"He sent me the tape of the ball," Petty said during a quiet moment at his locker. "And he said, 'Right here is why you're going to be special. And I want to help you get to that point.' And that's when I knew he was different.
"Put it this way," Petty added. "I've learned more about football in the three or four months that I've been here than I have my entire life."
A SOLID FORCE
Before becoming the Jets' general manager in January, Mike Maccagnan had spent 14 years in the Houston Texans' scouting department. From a distance, he watched Fitzpatrick start 12 games for the Texans in 2014, throwing for 2,483 yards, 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
So when the Jets were in the market for a veteran to compete with incumbent Geno Smith, Maccagnan turned to the familiar. And on March 11, the Texans traded Fitzpatrick to the Jets in exchange for a late-round draft pick.
At the time, Fitzpatrick still had another year on his deal -- a fact he reminded reporters of during the lead-up to his much-anticipated return to Houston for Sunday's game against the Texans (4-5).
"The fact that they didn't necessarily want me at the end of the year plays into it a little bit for me, just from the personal standpoint," said the 32-year-old. "But it's not a big thing . . . "
Maccagnan knew what Fitzpatrick could do on the field but didn't anticipate the effect Fitzpatrick would have on the team.
"I think he's been a very good influence on both Geno and Bryce," said Maccagnan, who, like Fitzpatrick, will make his return to NRG Stadium. " . . . As far as I'm concerned, [that is] one of the bonuses of having Fitz in the mix."
Without warning, Fitzpatrick went from backup to starter when Smith suffered a broken jaw on Aug. 11. The change at quarterback had no negative effect on the Jets, who got off to an impressive 4-1 start. But despite the mounting losses and injuries, the one constant has been Fitzpatrick -- always focused and even-keeled, even after undergoing surgery on Nov. 13 to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb.
Said Maccagnan: "Ryan was really a very solid force to bring that group together."
A MENTOR'S MINDSET
Unlike a lot of NFL quarterbacks, Fitzpatrick has come to terms with who he is as a player. He's smart, he's solid and he has enough veteran savvy to not lose the game for his team.
"I think I'm very comfortable in who I am and what I bring to the table," said Fitzpatrick, now with his sixth team in 11 seasons.
And it's that self-awareness and inner confidence that allow him to focus on being the leader of the Jets' offense while helping to develop the young quarterbacks.
"He's got five kids. The poor guy's got a lot more to worry about than Bryce or Geno," joked center Nick Mangold. "I think he's just got confidence in what he does and the system that he's in and his abilities. And he knows that for a team to be successful, you're only as good as your weakest link. He understands that if something were to happen to him, he would want to see the team do well. So he wants to bring up everybody."
The Harvard grad isn't spending time only with his backups. Fitzpatrick constantly watches tape of running plays and blocking assignments and goes over details with members of the offense. "He's constantly looking at everybody," Petty said. "It's things like that that I don't necessarily think that most quarterbacks grasp."
And it's his acute attention to detail that led Fitzpatrick to send Petty that text message during the summer. "Just the way that he threw it, how it came out of his hand," Fitzpatrick said. "I don't know. Everything about it. I still remember that play, yeah."
And Petty still remembers how it made him feel.
"It instilled a lot of confidence in me," he said. " . . . It was big."
November 21, 2015 9:40 PM
By KIMBERLEY A. MARTIN
HOUSTON - First came the invitation to visit his home in Arizona. Then the text message arrived.
It didn't take long for Bryce Petty to realize that Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't a typical NFL quarterback.
The quarterbacks talked about life and about football. They caught frogs with Fitzpatrick's sons and made his girls squeal with fright. And in the process, Petty gained insight into Fitzpatrick the family man.
But it was the training-camp text message he received that fully encapsulated Fitzpatrick: Smart. Self-assured. Supportive.
In a world in which job security is fleeting, the heightened expectations of NFL executives often stunt the development of young quarterbacks. In some cases, veteran passers are too focused on their own longevity to aid in the maturation of their understudies.
But Fitzpatrick isn't one of those people. And that's why he texted video of one of Petty's throws during training camp with some encouraging words.
"He sent me the tape of the ball," Petty said during a quiet moment at his locker. "And he said, 'Right here is why you're going to be special. And I want to help you get to that point.' And that's when I knew he was different.
"Put it this way," Petty added. "I've learned more about football in the three or four months that I've been here than I have my entire life."
A SOLID FORCE
Before becoming the Jets' general manager in January, Mike Maccagnan had spent 14 years in the Houston Texans' scouting department. From a distance, he watched Fitzpatrick start 12 games for the Texans in 2014, throwing for 2,483 yards, 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
So when the Jets were in the market for a veteran to compete with incumbent Geno Smith, Maccagnan turned to the familiar. And on March 11, the Texans traded Fitzpatrick to the Jets in exchange for a late-round draft pick.
At the time, Fitzpatrick still had another year on his deal -- a fact he reminded reporters of during the lead-up to his much-anticipated return to Houston for Sunday's game against the Texans (4-5).
"The fact that they didn't necessarily want me at the end of the year plays into it a little bit for me, just from the personal standpoint," said the 32-year-old. "But it's not a big thing . . . "
Maccagnan knew what Fitzpatrick could do on the field but didn't anticipate the effect Fitzpatrick would have on the team.
"I think he's been a very good influence on both Geno and Bryce," said Maccagnan, who, like Fitzpatrick, will make his return to NRG Stadium. " . . . As far as I'm concerned, [that is] one of the bonuses of having Fitz in the mix."
Without warning, Fitzpatrick went from backup to starter when Smith suffered a broken jaw on Aug. 11. The change at quarterback had no negative effect on the Jets, who got off to an impressive 4-1 start. But despite the mounting losses and injuries, the one constant has been Fitzpatrick -- always focused and even-keeled, even after undergoing surgery on Nov. 13 to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb.
Said Maccagnan: "Ryan was really a very solid force to bring that group together."
A MENTOR'S MINDSET
Unlike a lot of NFL quarterbacks, Fitzpatrick has come to terms with who he is as a player. He's smart, he's solid and he has enough veteran savvy to not lose the game for his team.
"I think I'm very comfortable in who I am and what I bring to the table," said Fitzpatrick, now with his sixth team in 11 seasons.
And it's that self-awareness and inner confidence that allow him to focus on being the leader of the Jets' offense while helping to develop the young quarterbacks.
"He's got five kids. The poor guy's got a lot more to worry about than Bryce or Geno," joked center Nick Mangold. "I think he's just got confidence in what he does and the system that he's in and his abilities. And he knows that for a team to be successful, you're only as good as your weakest link. He understands that if something were to happen to him, he would want to see the team do well. So he wants to bring up everybody."
The Harvard grad isn't spending time only with his backups. Fitzpatrick constantly watches tape of running plays and blocking assignments and goes over details with members of the offense. "He's constantly looking at everybody," Petty said. "It's things like that that I don't necessarily think that most quarterbacks grasp."
And it's his acute attention to detail that led Fitzpatrick to send Petty that text message during the summer. "Just the way that he threw it, how it came out of his hand," Fitzpatrick said. "I don't know. Everything about it. I still remember that play, yeah."
And Petty still remembers how it made him feel.
"It instilled a lot of confidence in me," he said. " . . . It was big."
