One of the biggest stories this offseason was whether the Jets would retain quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. On Wednesday, the two sides finally came to a deal (1-year, $12 million guaranteed) and put an end to the headache.
The whole experience wasn't fun for Jets fans, as they had to wait to find out who their starting quarterback was going to be, but it was even less fun for the parties involved. Fitzpatrick spoke to the New York Daily News the morning after the deal, and said it was a "relief to have it over and done with."
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"I'll tell you what. This whole process has been so long and hard and something I wouldn't wish upon anybody, but if there's a silver lining in it, at least for me, it's the respect and support that those guys showed for me throughout the process," Fitzpatrick said. "It was huge. That's why you play the game. You play the game for your teammates, who really want to play with and for you. That was big for me. I felt like I had to get back for those guys. I'm glad that we're going to be able to get to work today."
Now, the veteran quarterback has to get to work, which could take a while. Since he hasn't been under contract, he wasn't practicing with his team in the offseason. Instead, Fitzpatrick's workout plan involved chasing around his five kids and playing catch with his brother, who played tight end in college.
"There's probably a little bit of rust that needs to be knocked off," he said, "but it is like riding a bike."
