Why He Left
August 14th, 2019
“C’mon Fitzie, you know I’m eating a “W” Friday!”
It was a cool scene as practice wrapped up yesterday between the Dolphins and Bucs following the session being moved to the Glazer Shed due to a lightning alarm.
As in the past two years, Ryan Fitzpatrick, now the Dolphins quarterback, had his brood with him that now totals seven. And there was America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, playing with one of Fitzpatrick’s younger sons.
Jameis always had a bond with Fitz’s sons. It was common to see Fitzpatrick’s children playing with Jameis when practice ended. Yesterday was no different.
Now since Fitzpatrick left the Bucs and Bucco Bruce Arians arrived, Arians had said he didn’t want Jameis looking over his shoulder at the backup quarterback, something Arians not only believed Jameis did last year, but he also believes it messed with Jameis’ mind.
At times last year, Fitzpatrick played lights out football. At other times he was beyond dreadful. When former Bucs coach Dirk Koetter benched Fitzpatrick for good, some sensed a rift had grown between the two signal-callers.
Yesterday, asked about his departure from Tampa Bay, Fitzpatrick big-time downplayed any static between the two. In fact, Fitzpatrick said he had a “special relationship” with Jameis.
So why did Fitzpatrick leave? Simple, he said, he wanted to play.
“Down the stretch, [Jameis] played some really good football,” Fitzpatrick said of Jameis last season.
That was a sign for Fitzpatrick to leave. He used his Harvard degree to do some reasoning: The Bucs had a lot invested in Jameis. And Fitzpatrick seemed to believe Jameis was already the Bucs’ starting quarterback for 2019.
Miami offered him a chance to start, and he didn’t have that in Tampa. It is no more complicated than that why he left, Fitzpatrick said.
And it seems Fitzpatrick is rooting for Jameis. “I’m excited for Jameis in this offense.”
Of course, Fitzpatrick ought to be excited. He signed a contract that guarantees him some $7 million.
August 14th, 2019 at 8:06 am
I take the man at his word……makes perfect sense because…..barring a Jameis injury…..he would be riding Bucs pine.
August 14th, 2019 at 8:10 am
He left because he wasn’t offered a contract, and that is because the starter couldn’t handle having to look over his shoulder if he threw an int or 4.
August 14th, 2019 at 8:13 am
Easy Dewey… The negatively police are out in full force.
August 14th, 2019 at 8:27 am
Dewey Selmon hit the nail on the head!!!! As soon as licht weight slithered to save his job, He hired the stale biscuit only to fix jw3 and then he went about eliminating all those that spoke out against the so called chosen one qb!!!!To make matters worst, the game manager’s camp spread accusations of terrible things and stories that they were against the fold like a lawn chair, game manager qb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you want a job around Tampa, you better keep quiet and keep your head down!!!!! And say nothing but compliments about the game managing qb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 14th, 2019 at 8:32 am
Hopefully it all works out well for both of these men
August 14th, 2019 at 8:36 am
Fitz is a good man.
August 14th, 2019 at 8:39 am
I would rather have Fitzpatrick over Gabbert…who will be starting after the London game. I just done get the amount of support for JW. He is a loser on the field and a bigger loser off the field. His mamas baby is not going to straighten him up. The womanizing, shoplifting, narcissist, cheating clown is who he is and it won’t change. Every year you clowns say “just wait until next year”…..because he rocks up stats in meaningless games at the end of the year.
August 14th, 2019 at 8:40 am
Dewey and Realist-
That’s pretty shallow analysis-
Salary cap played a big part and Jameis is not on suspension this year
August 14th, 2019 at 8:41 am
Doesn’t make sense. If he left because he wanted to “start” then why did he come to Tampa in the first place?
August 14th, 2019 at 8:58 am
Snook-
Because he had a chance to start the 1st 3 games last year and if he hadn’t thrown a pick 6 against Steelers and Bucs had started 3-0, he would have stayed starter til game 7 or 8.
Bottom line is- Bills and Jets both overpaid for him and Dolphins probably have as well. Bucs had a quality backup for $3 million when he was here.
August 14th, 2019 at 9:02 am
And to think…Fitz said Jason Licht talked him out of retiring to come here in the first place. Ended up extending his career and getting him a couple paydays.
August 14th, 2019 at 9:04 am
Snook Says
“Doesn’t make sense. If he left because he wanted to “start” then why did he come to Tampa in the first place?”
Makes all the sense in the world. Before he signed with Tampa, he was on the verge of retiring, thinking his career was done. While in Tampa, he learned he could still play and maybe start, so he decided to leave and try to get a starting position.
If he does badly, he’ll probably retire.
August 14th, 2019 at 9:07 am
Winston Watch: Inconsistency Against Dolphins
By Taylor Jenkins – Aug. 13, 201916
QB Jameis Winston – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Same old Winston
August 14th, 2019 at 9:09 am
@Buc Bonzai
The best part is that he exposed the game managing qb!!!!!!! The sheep always point to the “passing yards” and to see a bad qb like Fitz put up gaudy numbers as well just point to how the receivers are making the qb’s look good and not the other way around!!!!!!!!!!!!! Time to draft a new beginning!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 14th, 2019 at 9:18 am
My lord you guys, I hear less cynicism on Fox News
August 14th, 2019 at 9:36 am
@The Buc Realist
You were a lot more positive in the off season, lol.
I finally get to disagree with you. I think Winston is very good and will become great.
And there is nothing wrong with a game managing QB. Tom Brady won 6 Superbowls as a game manager.
Winston is at the age when it is time to show his true potential. This year will determine a lot. I still have a #ShowMe-Don’tTellMe attitude, but I suspect Arians will win coach of the year again while here.
August 14th, 2019 at 9:41 am
He REALLY left because he figured if he couldn’t have a Tom Brady like record of most Super Bowl wins and most Super Bowl appearances he would settle for the record of being on the most teams WITHOUT a Super Bowl appearance.
August 14th, 2019 at 9:50 am
Why he left? Because he was as cancerous as djx. He had to go glad he is gone. Taught JW well…. He ended up on the bench!!!!
” Because the real sheep don’t care…. All they want is grass to eat and their wools shaved” and the real fans knows…. I mean do they know? Or this is all fake. Who cares? Real fans know is only football/entertainment but I don’t want to be sheep. I don’t know you have to ask Realist
August 14th, 2019 at 9:55 am
he left because we didn’t resign him. Joe you act like it was his choice
August 14th, 2019 at 10:06 am
It’s easy Licht saw a career backup outplay his #1 overall pick with the same weapons and same awful defense and outduel Brees in a shootout (something Jameis has never done) and refused to resign him at the risk of having a career backup outperform his #1 overall pick, again.
Yeah Fitz was up and down after his magical 3 weeks but after watching 56 games of Jameis we all know about inconsistent qb play
August 14th, 2019 at 10:06 am
Outside of his play I’ve never heard a bad word about Fitz
August 14th, 2019 at 10:11 am
Every player should play as if their backup is looking to take their job and end their career.
August 14th, 2019 at 10:15 am
You paying attention Joe??? Reports are saying Jadeveon Clowney will soon be traded.
August 14th, 2019 at 10:26 am
If Fitzmagic wanted the Bucs starting job bad enough, he would have dressed up as an Uber driver and tried to entice Jameis.
August 14th, 2019 at 10:39 am
“At times last year, Fitzpatrick played lights out football. At other times he was beyond dreadful.”
At times last year, Winston played good football. At other times he was beyond dreadful.
One is a 1st overall pick that is commanding $18m per year (more next 4 years) and one is a journeyman!?
August 14th, 2019 at 10:50 am
Sorry folks… the timelines prove you wrong.
Fitzpatrick re-signed in March 2018 with the Bucs. Winston suspension wasn’t announced until June 2018.
Fitzpatrick didn’t sign here for an opportunity to be a starter.
More double talk from the idiot Tampa media.
Also, he didn’t “decide” to leave. The Bucs chose to not re-sign him. Geez.
August 14th, 2019 at 11:05 am
I’ve seen Fitz called “garbage” and “poop” on these pages, but he did give the Bucs a tremendous start to last season, along with a badly needed dose of hope and inspiration to the fans. I wish him well…
August 14th, 2019 at 11:07 am
Theres only about 4 teams in the nfl Fitz could start for…. unfortunately, tampa was one of them last year. Fitz is a great back up that would be a luxury to have for a few games if your qb gets hurt. When he played bad last, it was actually his fault… not the D’s or the rbs.
August 14th, 2019 at 11:11 am
@bucs15… true. Bucs weren’t going to have him back. Jameis couldn’t handle that remember?
August 14th, 2019 at 11:39 am
I would believe we didn’t resign Fitz because BA didn’t want Jameis looking over his shoulder too if I didn’t read ‘The Qb whisperer.’ BA clearly says he doesn’t want ANY of his starting QBs to play looking over their shoulder. Same wording as he used in the presser. Go back and watch it he was talking in a general sense not speaking specifically about Jameis and Fitz.
August 14th, 2019 at 11:47 am
@Bringbucsback,
One has a higher ceiling and one doesn’t.
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”
C.S. Lewis
August 14th, 2019 at 11:56 am
Rooting for Fitz, he’s a good dude and crazy streaky QB!
August 14th, 2019 at 12:05 pm
Jameis Winston, America’s #24 Ranked NFL QB, now has no more excuses to perform this season.
August 14th, 2019 at 12:07 pm
I have to laugh at those posting in this thread about Fitz being ‘streaky’ or inconsistent, etc. last season.
BUT BUT BUT… What about our bad O-Line? And our lack of our Running Game? And our “Worst Defense in The League”
WHAT ABOUT IT???
Why are those things massive EXCUSES for Winston’s terrible play but they’re not for Fitzpatrick?
August 14th, 2019 at 12:12 pm
@Bucsbandit,
Because Fitz has been in the league for 15 years with about 8 teams where Winston has played under 1 coach his entire career. Let’s see what he does for a different coach. We know what Fitz will do. Same as he’s always done.
August 14th, 2019 at 1:05 pm
Why do so many make things so complicated? Why not just take Fitz at his word and let it go at that? He wanted a chance to start and wasn’t going to get that here. End of story. Nothing else to see here.
August 14th, 2019 at 1:14 pm
Bandit
Because people like you were marching pitchfork style to run off a 25 year old quarterback that is admittedly flawed but can still hit his ceiling for one that’s 37 and also flawed but won’t hit his ceiling.
Simple.
Oh but I know, “WINStoN will NEVER hit his ceiling. He’s never even made a play. He’s been terrible on every snap of his career and I close my eyes every time his talent shows up so I can pretend he’s as bad as my narrative on various Bucs fan forums says he is. Listen to me when i tell you that raw QBR does not matter, neither do career numbers on 3rd down and under pressure which indicate that he is exceptional in both. I like to ignore that a plethora of solid to great quarterbacks had very similar or worse turnover issues in the same starting stretch of their careers, and would like to convince you all that he was supposed to win games by himself with a historically bad team around him. I am neurotic, panic ridden have a cult mentality and can’t change my mind with new information that i either was not aware of previously or did not want to admit.”
August 14th, 2019 at 1:16 pm
HOW DARE RYAN FITZIDIOT let his impressionable children spend so much time with THUG JAY-MISS WINSTON!
Fitzpatrick is probably one of those backwoods idiots who thinks it’s okay to be a criminal in 2018 … (checks bio, sees Fitzpatrick went to Harvard) … and we all know Harvard is a school for idiots!!!!!
Don’t worry, me and my cuddle-buddy @Magadude will run JAY-MISS our of Tampa!
WE WILL WIN FOR WE ARE LEGION!!!!
August 14th, 2019 at 1:37 pm
^^^^Count me in too
August 14th, 2019 at 1:52 pm
Dapostman, …and #3 is still only 24; I got it. How much longer do we talk about his “ceiling”, without reaching it? This is year five!
When #3 has been playing in the league for 15 years, one would hope that he becomes a better QB than Fitz is presently. However, right now, they’re closer in abilities than #3’s supporters want to admit.
If the Bucs resign #3, it will be to a contract large enough to virtually cripple a team that struggles to find talent when it has money to spend! (See garbage gm). Fitz would give you, essentially, the same QB play for 1/3 the price.
Couldn’t the QB whisperer whisper to old QBs too? Gruden “whispered” to Gannon when he was an old also-ran.
Also, I almost forgot: see QBs in 2020 draft!
August 14th, 2019 at 3:00 pm
Love my man Fitz. has used his hear mentally throughout his career. And has made more money than arguably a lot of starters in this league by being a journeyman. Course..he needs it with all them ..Crumb snatchers. He is definitely one of the good guys in this league who has..played his cards well despite having limited talent.
August 14th, 2019 at 6:51 pm
LOLZ @PriMech enough with your QBR garbage and 3rd down stats.
There’s a reason EVERY major NFL football analyst ranks Winston 20th-28th in the league among starters.
He has yet to prove he actually belongs long term.
August 14th, 2019 at 11:35 pm
^ Right because biased “talking heads” with mere “opinions” are more logical and fact-based than HARD DATA … clown.