Fitzpatrick’s Success Last Season

The Dolphins had every insult hurled toward them at the beginning of last season, from being tankers to just an outright embarrassment to the league.

But something changed starting in Week 9. Suddenly the Dolphins not only began to shed those labels, they started playing competitive football. They went 5-4 over their last nine games and scored an average of 25 points per game, seventh in the NFL; they ranked last through the first seven weeks at 11 points per game.

Credit for that stunning turnaround goes to veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick began the year as the Dolphins starter, was benched in favor of Josh Rosen after two weeks, then reinserted into the starting lineup. With him under center, the Dolphins ranked eighth in the league in passing touchdowns from Week 9 and third in passing yards.

Fitzpatrick has a chance to build on that late-season success in 2020. He’s being reunited with Chan Gailey, the new Dolphins’ offensive coordinator. Fitzpatrick worked with Gailey with the New York Jets from 2015-16, and with the Buffalo Bills from 2010-12. Fitzpatrick set a career-high with 31 touchdown passes with the Jets in 2015, when Gailey was offensive coordinator.

There’s still magic in Fitzpatrick’s 37-year-old arm, and for a team hoping to carry over the momentum from last season, he’s their best option.