After earning a special place in the hearts of NFL fans over the course of nearly two decades, Ryan Fitzpatrick quietly announced Thursday the clock has officially struck midnight on “FitzMagic.”
The veteran quarterback revealed he plans to retire from the NFL after an eventful 17 seasons in a text message shared by former Bills running back Fred Jackson on social media. Jackson, who teamed with Fitzpatrick from 2009–12, let the proverbial cat out of the bag in a tweet accompanied by a picture of the message which read, “Forever grateful for the magical ride.”
Fitzpatrick, 39, has spent the offseason as a free agent following a one-year stint in Washington; the club elected not to re-sign him after bringing him in as their starter last spring, only for him to suffer a season-ending hip injury in Week 1.