Most NFL quarterbacks start to decline in their early to mid-30s, but Ryan Fitzapatrick believes he’s just reaching his peak.
The New York Jets quarterback, who turns 33 in November, snagged the starting job when Geno Smith broke his jaw in a locker room fight earlier this month. And Fitzpatrick told the New York Daily News on Thursday that 2015 is going to be his breakout year.
“Yeah, I don’t think there’s any doubt about that,” Fitzpatrick said. “So much of the game for the quarterback is the mental side of it. Everybody always talks about my arm and how horrible it is. I promise … you can put on some tape (and see) that I can make all the throws that you want me to make or that I need to make. … I see myself continuing to get better rather than declining.”
The Harvard product did have what likely would have been his best season with the Houston Texans last year, but it was cut short after he fractured his tibia. His numbers still weren’t overly impressive, as he went 6-6 with 17 touchdown passes and eight interceptions.
Fitzpatrick generally has been characterized as a guy who jumps around from team to team without leaving a lasting impression. But he doesn’t think about that when it comes to bettering himself.
“That’s been the perception every year,” Fitzpatrick told the Daily News. “Somehow I keep sticking around and finding new jobs. So I don’t really listen to the perception. I hear it, for sure. I just kind of shrug my shoulders and make sure that I focus on what I can control and focus on getting myself better.”
Thumbnail photo via Noah K. Murray/USA TODAY Sports Images
