On Saturday, Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was surprisingly absent from the team’s practice.
Early reports said that he was seen having a private conversation with Dolphins head coach Brian Flores before leaving the field.
Ryan Fitzpatrick's absence for practice did not appear to be injury-related. He went out for stretch today with the intention of playing.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 29, 2020
Later in the day, Flores announced that the reason for Fitzpatrick’s absence was due to the tragic passing of his mother. Flores clarified that Fitzpatrick is not opting out of the season.
Brian Flores: "Fitz has tried to work through. He's always tried to practice… It's a tough situation. Our hearts go out to him as a team and an organization…There's things bigger than football."
"There's no QB controversy. He's not retiring. He's not opting out."
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 29, 2020
Flores added that there is no current timeframe for Fitzpatrick’s return.
Brian Flores says they have contingency plans on if Ryan Fitzpatrick's absence continues to the season. He says he's not putting a timeframe on Fitz's return. He says the decision hasn't been made yet on who would step up – Tua Tagovailoa or Josh Rosen – if Fitz is gone for a bit
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 29, 2020
Surely, the team will give Fitzpatrick all the time he needs when it comes to mourning the heartbreaking loss.
When he is ready to return to the field, his Dolphins brothers will be waiting for him with open arms.
In the meantime, it is possible that rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will take over quarterback duties with the starting offense. However, Flores announced that no decisions have been made regarding who will replace Fitzpatrick during his absence.