Lamar Jackson's Week 14 heroics, including a 44-yard touchdown to Marquise Brown with two minutes left and a game-winning drive only 80 seconds later, came after a bout of "cramps" in the locker room. But when Ryan Fitzpatrick's name was called to come in as a sort of relief pitcher in Week 16 against the Las Vegas Raiders, he was in the locker room for a bathroom break and was fully willing to admit that fact.
We're not saying Lamar Jackson wasn't actually cramping, by the way.
But it's wild that for the first time in the journeyman quarterback's 16-year career, Fitzpatrick finally took a mid-game bathroom break. And it's equally as crazy that 16 years into his career, with the future of the Dolphins replacing him at quarterback, he was called upon to take the reins and subsequently delivered his self-proclaimed top throw of his career.
This is coming from a guy who has had a ton of memorable throws and moments. You don't get the name FitzMagic for no reason, after all. But we're of the same mind that this impossible throw was not only the best throw of Fitzpatrick's career, but one of the most mind-blowing strikes we've ever seen all in all.
"In that case, really, you're throwing up a prayer," Fitzpatrick said (via ESPN's Cameron Wolfe). "I didn't know that it was complete, initially. My face mask was getting pulled, and my head was getting ripped off. I turned around to make sure they saw the face mask, then [Dolphins right tackle] Jesse Davis or [running back] Myles Gaskin had to tell me it was completed."
Even Tua Tagovailoa, who Fitzpatrick replaced, was in disbelief.
Head coach Brian Flores confirmed that Tagovailoa will remain the team's starter going forward, but acknowledged that the team "need(ed) to go to a relief pitcher in the ninth," and that Fitzpatrick was that guy.
The Dolphins, now at 10-5, have enjoyed a remarkable turnaround from last season and will have a massive matchup in Week 17 against the Buffalo Bills that could potentially decide their playoff spot depending on how other AFC matchups go.
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