Veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick announced his retirement earlier this month after 17 seasons in the NFL.
Fitzpatrick missed almost the entirety of last season for the Washington Commanders after a hip subluxation in the team’s season opener, which gave him an opportunity to think about life after football.
It was reported shortly after his retirement that he was in talks with Amazon to be a part of their broadcasting team for their first full season of Thursday Night Football in 2022.
Those talks came to fruition on Tuesday, as it was announced that Fitzpatrick will be joining Amazon as a pregame analyst on Thursday Night Football next year. He will join fellow retired NFL players Richard Sherman, who was also rumored to Amazon last month, and Tony Gonzalez for the pregame coverage, which certainly seems like an interesting crew.
Many around the NFL world are extremely excited to see what Fitzpatrick can provide as an analyst this upcoming season.
Ryan Fitzpatrick showing up to work: pic.twitter.com/DMMBOUjALk
— Caesars Sportsbook & Casino (@CaesarsSports) June 21, 2022
Ryan Fitzpatrick is official what??? https://t.co/XpKFf1jpcp
— Kyle, a Madson (@KyleAMadson) June 21, 2022
I have never been more excited for an announcing crew than I am for this Amazon Prime broadcast https://t.co/Ek3Vhfl7tb
— Timmy Gibson (@timmygibson13) June 21, 2022
https://twitter.com/GennaroS85/status/1539309804157550592
Fitzpatrick discussed the move with Andrew Marchand of The New York Post and described that he saw both coaching and the media as avenues for him after football. Ultimately, a job in the media made the most sense for him and his family.
“Amazon jumped out at me,” said Fitzpatrick. “In terms of it is something that’s fresh and new. It just made a lot of sense of what I was trying to get into.”
“And, also, for me to be able to sit down with my kids and watch some of these games on Sunday,” Fitzpatrick added. “It is something I haven’t had a whole lot of time to do these last 17 years.”
Considering Fitzpatrick was once the 250th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, he has certainly done well for himself on the football field and that has set him up for his life after football with Amazon.
