Bills Mafia had reason to celebrate Saturday night. And it had the full support of an active-player-yet-former Buffalo quarterback.
The Washington Football Team's Ryan Fitzpatrick was spotted at Highmark Stadium as the Bills crushed the Patriots in the Wild Card Round. Video of the 39-year-old QB cheering enthusiastically and shirtless amid single-digit temperatures in Buffalo went viral. That act didn't surprise Bills coach Sean McDermott, even though he never coached Fitzpatrick.
"From what I know of Fitz it's fitting," McDermott told reporters. "I think it's awesome. For a guy that's been here and support the organization like that and be part of the environment. It's pretty cool."
Fitzpatrick, of course, has played for nine teams over his 17-year career. But the team he spent the most time with -- four years -- was Buffalo (2009-12). It's where he started 53 games and experienced his first taste of personal success, spawning the nickname "FitzMagic." What didn't happen while Fitzpatrick played for the Bills, or any one of his many clubs, was a playoff run.
That might explain why, with his own season wrapped up long ago after a hip injury landed him on injured reserve for most of 2021, Fitzpatrick returned to one of his old homes to soak in the postseason.
