Someone has to start under center for the Houston Texans. Why not Ryan Fitzpatrick?
Coach Bill O'Brien announced Tuesday that the veteran quarterback has won the team's No. 1 role.
"He's a guy that earned the job," said O'Brien following Houston's mandatory minicamp session.
Anointing Fitzpatrick ends speculation that he would be forced to compete with the likes of Case Keenum, T.J. Yates and rookie Tom Savage come July. The Texans have hinted that one of those passers might be released sooner than later.
"I'm excited about it," Fitzpatrick said Tuesday. "I don't think it changes much in terms of the way that I've got to continue to attack the playbook and learn and how we've got to continue to learn as an offense. We've got a very long way to go."
O'Brien's quick decision amounts to the safest choice at the position. He's far from inspiring, but Fitzpatrick gives this new coaching staff a veteran option with 77 NFL starts since 2005.
NFL Films guru Greg Cosell believes the pairing of Fitzy and O'Brien could make waves come September.
"It wouldn't surprise me if Fitzpatrick has his best year in the NFL," Cosell recently told Nashville's WGFX-FM. "We're not suggesting he's a top five quarterback but I think he's got some tools. I think he's a smart kid, he's got some movement to him."
In the latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast," the heroes discuss which teams "realistically" have no shot at winning the Super Bowl this season.
