Omar Kelly: Dolphins fans should quit waiting for Ryan Fitzpatrick to fail and just enjoy the ride

Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick knows exactly who he is, and where he’s at in his NFL career, so we can stop with the constant reminders that he’s old, inconsistent and erratic.

No need to ask him about motivating factors, or about the fear of being benched for the younger, potentially more promising quarterback.

He’s been there and done that a couple of times throughout his career with Jake Locker, Ryan Mallett, Tom Savage, Geno Smith, Bryce Petty, Jameis Winston and Josh Rosen.

Fitzpatrick embraces the fact he’s a journeyman, and the scars that come with it.

He knows there’s a hot-and-cold nature to his game.

After 16 seasons, which have been spent with eight franchises, that’s been the story of his career. But what makes us conclude this old dog can’t learn a new trick this season? Or that he can’t clean up his play, and by default shed his erratic reputation?

Why must we wait for the wheels to fall off, for Fitzpatrick to falter? That’s an unhealthy mindset, especially when there are calls for rookie Tua Tagovailoa to make his first NFL start after every loss.

How about the fans give Fitzpatrick the same respect his coaches, and teammates have shown him, acknowledging that the Dolphins are his team — win or lose — and seeing where he can lead the franchise this season?

Fitzpatrick has been the catalyst behind Miami’s two wins this season, and when he’s dealing the Dolphins can beat any team.

And in the games he has struggled, only two of his five interceptions were his fault. His turnovers were caused by the amount of pressure applied, which led his arm being hit on two intercepted passes, a ball batted in the air that got picked off after a receiver slipped on a route, and a desperation throw to the end zone in a game’s closing minute.

Fitzpatrick’s errors haven’t been the only reasons for those losses.

Just like last season, the soon-to-be 38 year old has propped up a struggling run game by routinely scrambling for gains. And he is assisting a young and inexperienced offensive line by throwing the ball quickly and routinely evading sacks. The leads he’s provided have allowed the Dolphins defense to pin its ears back and hunt down quarterbacks in Miami’s two victories.

The bottom line is that Fitzpatrick, who owns a 95.3 passer rating, which ranks him 17th among NFL quarterbacks who have made multiple starts, makes the Dolphins better, and everyone but the fan base seems to appreciate that.

Tagovailoa will have his time. Whether it’s this year depends on if Fitzpatrick can’t keep Miami in playoff contention in November and December. One way or another, the reigns to this franchise will eventually be handed to the former Alabama quarterback, who Miami selected fifth in April’s NFL draft.

There’s no shame in slow cooking Tagovailoa considering some of today’s elite quarterbacks — Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, Kirk Cousins, Jared Goff, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson — watched and learned for the bulk of their rookie seasons before being handed the keys to the franchise.

Props to Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow (86.3 passer rating) and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (107.1 passer rating), two of the four quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2020 draft, for the flashes of talent they have each showcased in their handful of NFL starts. But sticking Tagovailoa in a microwave isn’t how I’d prefer he start his career.

Plenty of bad habits can be developed when a young quarterback is rushed onto the field.

There isn’t just one way to groom an NFL quarterback, and I prefer the patient approach, especially when the current quarterback at the helm is the clear-cut leader of the team.

That’s why Tagovailoa should watch and learn how Fitzpatrick reads the defense before each snap, and how he puts his team in the right play by calling the ideal audible or route adjustment.

Those are all things Fitzpatrick does at a level that compares with the league’s elites, and few outside of the Dolphins’ facility notice.

It’s his arm strength, and tendency to produce turnovers in bunches that has held Fitzpatrick down throughout his career. But if he can refine those aspects of his game, there’s no reason Fitzpatrick can’t lead the Dolphins to a winning season like he did the New York Jets in 2015.

And after all he’s done for this franchise the past 21 games, Fitzpatrick deserves the right to try to do so without constantly looking over his shoulder.

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