It is now official: Veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has signed with the Washington Football Team.
After a deal was reported hours after the NFL's legal tampering period began on Monday, Fitzpatrick put pen to paper and has joined on what is reported to be a one-year deal worth $10 million.
"I'm playing better right now than I've ever played in my career," Fitzpatrick told the media in his introductory press conference. "And I just feel I've got a lot of great football ahead of me, which sounds crazy being 38 years old.
"I just love football, I love the competition, I love the camaraderie, I love working together as a team for a common goal. Those are just things that I don't know where else I would find them [without football]."
When asked if he had been given any assurance about the starting job, Fitzpatrick said all he needed was "just a chance" to win the job.
"That's all I've asked for my whole career. I just want a chance to have the opportunity to compete," he said, before adding he has confidence in his ability to earn time on the field. "The No. 1 thing I was looking for [in my free agency] was a chance to play."
And that confidence extends to his 'gunslinger' mentality when giving receivers a chance to make a play on a ball thrown into a tight window.
"My style of play, I'm gonna give my guys chances," Fitzpatrick said. "I'm not gonna be a guy that's gonna sit there and be afraid to throw the ball down the field. I'm gonna try to make the right plays, but if I've got a chance and I believe in my guy one-on-one, I'm gonna give him a chance.
"And I think guys like playing with me because of that. I'm able to instill confidence in guys because I give them those opportunities. And just playing with that absence of fear I think goes a long way."
In a video posted on the team's Twitter account, sporting his trademark beard, Fitzpatrick said he just met head coach Ron Rivera and promised fans he would "give you everything I got."
"I think Coach Rivera's got a great reputation around the league from other coaches and guys that he has coached," he told the media. "From being on so many teams and in organizations, knowing guys around the league, I had a ton of great conversations about him. The respect level that he has from his peers and his players and just the way he goes about his business. So I'm really excited and looking forward to getting to work with him.
"And I think this team, it's a young team, making the push last year and making the playoffs, I think there's a lot of excitement. I think everybody thinks [the team is] headed in the right direction. And I'm just happy to be here and be a part of it."
Fitzpatrick said he had more interest as a free agent from teams this offseason than he had ever previously had, and said he spoke to "more than three teams" before signing with Washington. Fitzpatrick also said a report he was considering retirement was from "not a very reliable source."
"I'm just excited to be here," Fitzpatrick said.
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