Ryan Fitzpatrick: Hall of Famer? or First Ballot HoFer?

[msw2112]

I love Fitz.  This thread is a fun diversion on for a Friday afternoon.

[TheBrownBear]

I'd love to see the guy get a chance to start a playoff game.  Would be a great story if he came in as a backup and led a team to a Super Bowl win.  Not likely, but it would be a fitting end to the ultimate underdog story.

[BuffaloBills1998]

59 minutes ago, The Jokeman said:

Thurman Thomas? 

I don’t think Thomas is well remembered by Miami fans. He was beyond done when he played there. I saw his last game against the Chargers and it was brutal

[hondo in seattle]

When I cast my imaginary ballot for the Hall of Fame, I ask myself,  "When he played, did I know he was a Hall of Famer?"

 

Watching Bruce Smith play, for example, it was clear to me that he should be in the Hall of Fame some day.

 

I, um, NEVER felt that way about Fitz when I watched him play.

 

I like the guy.  I admire the guy - he's made a great career for himself after entering the NFL with a very humble skill set.  And I give him credit.  It took years but he eventually became a good QB.  He just never became a great QB.  

 

The poor guy always  seemed to be a placeholder - the QB a team settles for until someone better comes along.  

 

All that said, just because it's nearly impossible not to love the guy, I voted 'First Ballot.'  

[Niagara Dude]

6 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Should Ryan Fitzpatrick be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame when he is done with his career?

 

I say YES.

 

First, it's the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Stats, or Hall of Super Bowl Victories, or Hall of Franchise QBs.

 

Second, I'd argue that he is the Greatest non-Franchise/Journeyman QB in NFL history.

 

Third, folks say a good way of measuring worthiness is "If you were telling the Story of the NFL, would he be included?", and I say YES. When talking about this decade how could you not talk about the dude who has unseated and benched numerous 1st rd "Franchise" prospects?

 

Fourth, ok lets talk stats. Fitz just passed Troy Aikman, Steve Young, and Phil Simms on the All-time Passer list. He is 600 yards away from passing Tony Romo, and less than 2000 yards away from leap-frogging Jim Kelly. If he starts this entire season, he'll likely end up #26 on the all-time passing list.

 

He's a great dude, and a heck of a character.

 

The campaign starts here. FITZ FOR HALL OF FAME!

Classy dude who has made a ton of money and maybe the smartest player to ever play the game.  I will always be a fan whenver he is not playing against us.

[MJS]

1 hour ago, TheBrownBear said:

I'd love to see the guy get a chance to start a playoff game.  Would be a great story if he came in as a backup and led a team to a Super Bowl win.  Not likely, but it would be a fitting end to the ultimate underdog story.

He isn't a backup QB, though. He's the starter.

[Nick the Greek]

7 hours ago, Heavy Kevi said:

Greatest non-franchise/journeyman QB...

 

Kurt Warner comes to mind.

 

 

 

Love Fitz though. His roast of Fred Jackson belongs in some type of HOF

Warner played for like 2 teams. It’s a bit of a stretch to consider him a journey man. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Shouldn't having a cereal named for you be a contributory factor in eligibility?

[DasNootz]

7 hours ago, Blokestradamus said:

 

Here's a question.

 

If Ryan Fitzpatrick had entrance music, what would it be?

 

10 minutes ago, Nick the Greek said:

Warner played for like 2 teams. It’s a bit of a stretch to consider him a journey man. 

Packers, Barnstormers (Arena), Rams, Giants, Cardinals

[QCity]

What blows my mind about Fitz is how freaking durable the guy is. Even at 37 he looks spry. There's something about his stance in the pocket and the way he distributes his weight that makes him seem invincible back there. In like 15 years of play it took a broken leg to get him off the field, at least that's the only serious injury I can recall.

[Don Otreply]

7 hours ago, Blokestradamus said:

 

Here's a question.

 

If Ryan Fitzpatrick had entrance music, what would it be?

The James Bond intro theme

[billsfan89]

If backup QB were a position that you could get into the Hall of Fame for Fitz would get in. 

1 hour ago, Nick the Greek said:

Warner played for like 2 teams. It’s a bit of a stretch to consider him a journey man. 

 

3 teams if you include the one year he played for the Giants.

[JohnNord]

John Clayton loves to reference this take from former Bills OC Ted Marchibroda:

 

“Longtime NFL coach Ted Marchibroda always preached that a good backup quarterback can win a team three games, but if you play him six games, he can lose a team the next three.”

 

This is Fitzpatrick in a nutshell.  But it’s more like he’ll win you 3 games and lose you 4 or 5!  
 

There are times when the guy is just unstoppable but also times where he looks terrible.  I really have never seen a player with such Jeckyl and Hyde tendencies.  
 

The final game of the 2015 is a great example.  Jets were primed for a playoff appearance after a big win versus New England and he shat the bed.

 

Then during the 2nd game of the 2016 season Fitzpatrick was absolutely lights out versus the Bills in the first color rush game.  Rex’s defense had no answers for Fitz as he easily completed pass after pass to Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker it was an embarrassing display of defense.  

Fitzpatrick is an anomaly at the QB position.  I so wish the Bills had signed him before the start of last season to backup Josh.  It seems like those two would get a long great.  

 

 

[Charles Romes]

If he were take one of these blown up franchises all the way by accident as the bridge QB this joke post is no joke at all.  

[klos63]

I think Fitz is the football equivalent to Dave Kingman,  a couple hall of fame worthy stats, but really not a Hall of Famer when you compare him to the greats.  Too many mediocre seasons to seriously be considered. Hall of Famers should be dominate in their sport for an extended period of time.

[Mango]

4 hours ago, Rocky Landing said:

Mick Foley was a professional wrestler, and quite possibly the toughest athlete to ever live, at least in terms of putting his body on the line, and performing through pain. There's a great documentary called "Beyond the Mat," that I think you can see on Netflix. Even if you're not at all a fan of pro wrestling (I'm not), it's a really good watch.

Oddly enough, I randomly YouTubed the Hell in the Cell match. I haven’t watched wrestling since I was a kid, I’m 33 now. So it’s probably been 20+ years. The absolute guts on that guy. The real life beating and how close he came to possibly dying in that match is something that was totally lost on me as a kid. Not only did he do it, he played it up. 

Edited September 26, 2020 by Mango

[DrDawkinstein]

In a league that values QBs so far beyond any other position, why shouldnt the best non-Franchise QB have a shot at getting in? Folks make a good argument to get Tasker in and he was "just" a Special Teamer.

 

It would be a heck of a story to see Fitzy inducted.

 

Anyways, thanks to everyone for playing along. I love to see that even at this point the YESes are still ahead.

 

Go Bills!

[1ManRaid]

9 hours ago, Blokestradamus said:

 

Here's a question.

 

If Ryan Fitzpatrick had entrance music, what would it be?

For some reason, that beard screams "Biscuits and GRAAAVY" to me.

 

https://youtu.be/yrtNzPUPFNs

1 hour ago, klos63 said:

I think Fitz is the football equivalent to Dave Kingman,  a couple hall of fame worthy stats, but really not a Hall of Famer when you compare him to the greats.  Too many mediocre seasons to seriously be considered. Hall of Famers should be dominate in their sport for an extended period of time.

Like Broadway Joe and Terry Bradshaw...

[TwistofFate]

10 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Should Ryan Fitzpatrick be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame when he is done with his career?

 

I say YES.

 

First, it's the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Stats, or Hall of Super Bowl Victories, or Hall of Franchise QBs.

 

Second, I'd argue that he is the Greatest non-Franchise/Journeyman QB in NFL history.

 

Third, folks say a good way of measuring worthiness is "If you were telling the Story of the NFL, would he be included?", and I say YES. When talking about this decade how could you not talk about the dude who has unseated and benched numerous 1st rd "Franchise" prospects?

 

Fourth, ok lets talk stats. Fitz just passed Troy Aikman, Steve Young, and Phil Simms on the All-time Passer list. He is 600 yards away from passing Tony Romo, and less than 2000 yards away from leap-frogging Jim Kelly. If he starts this entire season, he'll likely end up #26 on the all-time passing list.

 

He's a great dude, and a heck of a character.

 

The campaign starts here. FITZ FOR HALL OF FAME!

 

 

If Steve Tasker can't make it in the Hall of Fame, no way does a Journeyman QB get there, nor does he deserve to be there.  Hall of Fame is meant for the greatest at the position with outstanding achievement. 

 

Using your logic, Vinny Testaverde or the "Eternal One" as I like to call him, should already be there.

Edited September 26, 2020 by TwistofFate

[Heavy Kevi]

6 hours ago, Nick the Greek said:

Warner played for like 2 teams. It’s a bit of a stretch to consider him a journey man. 

 

Well iirc he was originally a GB packer... then played for the Rams, Giants, and Cardinals.

 

Fits my description of a journeyman.