I'll say this for Fitzy

[NickelCity]

When he retires, he'll end up on wall street and make even MORE money.

 

It's just baffling to me how this theory is so widely accepted. He's been making boatloads. He has a bachelors from Harvard, but come on fellas.

[DriveFor1Outta5]

 

It's just baffling to me how this theory is so widely accepted. He's been making boatloads. He has a bachelors from Harvard, but come on fellas.

I don't see why he'd even want to work on Wall Street. We all know that he went to Harvard, he should be smart enough to be able to retire quite comfortably.

[NickelCity]

I don't see why he'd even want to work on Wall Street. We all know that he went to Harvard, he should be smart enough to be able to retire quite comfortably.

 

Given the money many of these players make, they all should. I just love how over the top this particular narrative has become.

[KD in CA]

 

It's just baffling to me how this theory is so widely accepted. He's been making boatloads. He has a bachelors from Harvard, but come on fellas.

 

I think a lot of people misunderstand what the average guy makes on Wall Street. Don't get me wrong, it's a very nice living, but it's a far cry from NFL starting QB money.

[Greybeard]

He's a choker. Or, if you don't like the word, let's just say he doesn't deliver in the clutch.

 

If Fitz had physical problems, his performance would be the same at different times during the game. But that isn't true in his case. When the game is on the line, he plays worse than the rest of the game.

 

Over his career, Fitz threw 29% of his passes in the fourth quarter or in overtime. He threw 30% of his TDs in the fourth quarter or overtime - that's what you'd expect. But Fitzy threw - get this - 45% of his INTs in the fourth quarter or overtime. That means he's making bad decisions with the football. If he had physical problems, his INTs would be or less the same as his attempts and TDs.

 

Compare him to a successful gunslinger - Roethlisberger. Like Fitzy, Ben takes risks. Difference is, Ben knows which risks to take. Over his career, Ben threw 25% of his passes in the fourth quarter and overtime, 27% of his TDs (a lot like Fitzy) but only 31% of his INTs. Late in the game, if you're losing, you're going to take some risks that result in more INTs. That's why Ben's INT rate is higher than his attempt rate. But the point is, Ben's INT rate is in the ballpark with his attempt rate. Fitz's isn't. Fitz takes bad bets with the ball in the fourth quarter - he always has.

 

Call that choking, call it bad decision making. Call it whatever you want. The data coincides with what we all think we've seen from him for years - Fitz takes his team out of games with ill-advised late-game throws.

 

I give Fitz credit - he plays with no fear. He isn't afraid to make mistakes. But when it's your last possession, down 5 pionts, it's third and 8 and you throw an INT, that's a really, really bad play. Fitz specializes in it.

When he came to Buffalo, he said that his junior year in college he was planning on getting a job on Wall Street. Then he started getting interest from the pros, and he unexpectedly ended up with a football career. Someone asked him then what he'd do when he retired. He said probably go home to Arizona and drink beer.

 

If he's made $54 million, he's probably paid $15 million in taxes, so he's around $40 million net. Probably spent a half million a year for the past 12 years. So he's saved maybe $30 million. Obviously, I don't talk to Fitz so I don't know what he's thinking, but I doubt he'll go to Wall Street. He's set for life (he can take $750,000 a year for life from his investments, and you can live a pretty good life on that). Why would he move his family to New York and plug himself into that rat race, just so he can earn another $1 million a year? He'll do something more than sit around and drink beer, but I'm betting it big-time investment banking is no longer in his future.

 

 

The difference between Roethlisberger and Fitz is in their arm. Fitz doesn't have the arm to get the ball where he has to as quick as he has to. For that matter Kelly used to take risks all the time. But he had the arm to pull it off most of the time.

 

Interesting. I had to come back an edit this because a few posts after the post I responded to, you were saying the same thing I said here.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Greybeard

[Hapless Bills Fan]

You raise a good point but I don't think self-confidence or bad decisions are the problem. He has never come across to me as a guy who feels pressure, and we all agree that he's a pretty smart guy. The more exposure he gets the more his weaknesses are exposed. In both Buffalo and New Jersey he had a great first year with Chan Gailey being creative and taking advantage of what he does well and hiding his flaws. When he started in NJ he had new talent around him so Chan devised new ways to take advantage of what Fitz did well. Once the defenses caught up (except for Rex & Rob) he became much less effective. Same thing in game, defensive coordinators figure out what he's doing well and his limited arm strength eliminates most of the other options.

 

You may be correct about "a great first year" but IMHO I don't think what Gailey did with Fitz on NYJ was that different than in B'lo. He had better WR, but I think the play concepts were similar so bad on DC's if they couldn't go back and catch film from B'lo and figure it out.

 

I think it hurt Fitz to hold out until training camp - I don't think he was as fit, and I don't think he was as in sync with his WR and I think both spelled the difference between a risky, successful throw and an INT.

 

I think an athlete would have to be a "man of steel" not to feel pressure especially when he's the QB and it's not going well.

 

But who knows? We can agree to disagree on this one.

 

 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

Vince Young is one of the dumbest humans on the planet. He also looks worse throwing the football than Fitz. VY probably had so much smoke blown up his butt than he truly believes he is getting screwed instead of simply realizing he just isn't a good NFL qb.

...just amazing how some of these kids get drafted so high in the 1st, sign for huge bucks and are gone as fast as the money is....Vince, Akili Smith, Leaf, Russell, etc..........Steve Young it's the "speed and complexity of the game at the NFL level that yields more failures than successes"......hope that TT can turn the corner with Dennison as this is his "make it or break it" year IMO.......

[Hapless Bills Fan]

...just amazing how some of these kids get drafted so high in the 1st, sign for huge bucks and are gone as fast as the money is....Vince, Akili Smith, Leaf, Russell, etc..........Steve Young it's the "speed and complexity of the game at the NFL level that yields more failures than successes"......hope that TT can turn the corner with Dennison as this is his "make it or break it" year IMO.......

 

Yeah, I SMH at everyone who feels we just need to draft a QB high in the 1st and we're good. Even counting "success" as "could play at NFL level for several years" the flameout rate for all players drafted in the 1st is something like 50%.

 

As far as "gone as fast as the money" IMO we don't teach kids what they need to know to handle finances. Plus, take a trusting kid who wants to focus on his talents and add abusive "financial advisors" and there you go - Johnny Depp comes to mind.

[PromoTheRobot]

 

Fantasy land. Fitz is a choker when the lights are the brightest. He's proven that time and time again with exhibit A being the 2015 season finale where he predictably turned into an interception machine with the NYJ playoff chances there for the taking.

Fitz sucked because he was a turnover machine. Tyrod sucks because he's too afraid to make a turnover. EJ just sucked.

[26CornerBlitz]

Fitz sucked because he was a turnover machine. Tyrod sucks because he's too afraid to make a turnover. EJ just sucked.

 

Tyrod is not the long term QB answer IMO, but he doesn't flat out suck. He protects the football well and I agree that he needs to take more chances without being reckless.

[PromoTheRobot]

 

Tyrod is not the long term QB answer IMO, but he doesn't flat out suck. He protects the football well and I agree that he needs to take more chances without being reckless.

 

I was being sarastic because I've often read people complain that TT plays it too safe...while complaining Fitz turned the ball over with abondon.

[Alphadawg7]

Tyrod is better than Fitz in just about every single measurable you can measure a QB, and its really not that close. And thats not an over the top statement on how good Tyrod is, thats because Fitz is not a very good QB.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

 

Yeah, I SMH at everyone who feels we just need to draft a QB high in the 1st and we're good. Even counting "success" as "could play at NFL level for several years" the flameout rate for all players drafted in the 1st is something like 50%.

 

As far as "gone as fast as the money" IMO we don't teach kids what they need to know to handle finances. Plus, take a trusting kid who wants to focus on his talents and add abusive "financial advisors" and there you go - Johnny Depp comes to mind.

....ALL excellent ponts bud.....it is pretty sad what happens to some of these kids financially.....a percentage come from disadvantaged backgrounds and probably never were trained how to handle money, let alone millions....thus they are vulnerable to "financial screwers....er....advisors" who prey on them.....look how many who buy their single parent Mom a house and car as a token of their thanks only to get screwed later.....I think Vince blew through 26 mil and then took out loans at a loan shark interest rate....NFL would never and could never vet an approved list of financial investors because if something went wrong, they could easily be enjoined in a lawsuit for implied fiduciary responsibility.....sucks.........

[C.Biscuit97]

Tyrod is better than Fitz in just about every single measurable you can measure a QB, and its really not that close. And thats not an over the top statement on how good Tyrod is, thats because Fitz is not a very good QB.

Yet, they both are 7 win qbs for the Bills. And there was a much more talented roster around TT.

 

Fitz was asked to do more and would turn it over. Yet, Fitz was capable of going throw for throw with Brady which Taylor probably won't ever do.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

Yet, they both are 7 win qbs for the Bills. And there was a much more talented roster around TT.

 

Fitz was asked to do more and would turn it over. Yet, Fitz was capable of going throw for throw with Brady which Taylor probably won't ever do.

...obviously you mean Marcia Brady.............

[HappyDays]

I don't think we'll ever see a more Buffalo duo than Ryan Fitzpatrick and Fred Jackson. Those few times Naaman Roosevelt was on the field we really were the Buffalo Bills. The team as it looks now isn't Buffalo in spirit like those teams were, for whatever that's worth (not much in the NFL).

[JM2009]

Yet, they both are 7 win qbs for the Bills. And there was a much more talented roster around TT.

 

Fitz was asked to do more and would turn it over. Yet, Fitz was capable of going throw for throw with Brady which Taylor probably won't ever do.

Fitz never won 7 games here in one season. Taylor has won 8 and seven, and that is with not playing a full season each time.

Awful take.

 

Since when is wins a QB stat and not a team stat?

 

Fitz turned it over because he was reckless. Period.

 

Fitz had a good run and then was exposed. Taylor is the better starting option in every aspect.

This. Taylors 29th game as a Bill was his best. Fitz regressed and got worse.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

Fitz never won 7 games here in one season. Taylor has won 8 and seven, and that is with not playing a full season each time.

This. Taylors 29th game as a Bill was his best. Fitz regressed and got worse.

...at least Fitz's passing game was a viable threat and TT has some work to do...BUT , Fitz was a threat to the opposition AND BUFFALO IMO.......

[JM2009]

...at least Fitz's passing game was a viable threat and TT has some work to do...BUT , Fitz was a threat to the opposition AND BUFFALO IMO.......

One of the worst for me, if you remember was in NE, when we had the ball last and Spiller was killing NE, and he was open to walk into the endzone for the game winning TD, and Fitz threw a pick.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

One of the worst for me, if you remember was in NE, when we had the ball last and Spiller was killing NE, and he was open to walk into the endzone for the game winning TD, and Fitz threw a pick.

 

 

 

.....the BIG DEMAND $18 million dollar man (in his mind) settles for a paltry $12 mil from the Jesters and rewards them with 6 picks in a single game.....yet he is STILL working.....defines the desperate nature of clubs regarding QB position.....

Edited June 28, 2017 by OldTimeAFLGuy