By: TOM LEYDEN
DEDHAM
Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has played for six different NFL teams over the course of an 11-year NFL career. This season, his first with New York, the Harvard graduate inherited the starting job when Geno Smith's jaw was broken in a locker room altercation.
While he's traveled around the country with a family of five pursuing his NFL dreams, Fitzpatrick fondly recalls his college days in Cambridge.
"We just made our ten-year reunion," said Fitzpatrick. "We were back for a fifth. My wife went there as well. We graduated the same year, so that's important to us. We try to go back at least once a year. I haven't been able to make it back for many games, but I was able to catch one a few years ago. And now being in New York, potentially I'll be able to see the Columbia game this year.
"I keep in touch with Coach (Tim) Murphy, he's obviously done a tremendous job with the program and they're off to a great start again. Being there for four years and even when I was there for four years, the way the Patriots were and the way the Red Sox played, it was a pretty awesome place to be caught up in all of that stuff. It definitely holds a special place in my heart."
Fitzpatrick has led the Jets to a 4-1 record and the winner of Sunday's matchup in Foxboro will be first place in the AFC East. Finding the right opportunity has always been a challenge, at times enough to consider calling it quits.
"It definitely weighs on me and my family," said Fitzpatrick. "So it’s certainly something every year that I’ve kind of got to sit back and evaluate. I still love playing the game. This year has been very refreshing just as far as this team and the guys. I’ve had a lot of fun so far and as long as I continue to enjoy coming to work every day and playing the game, obviously I’d still want to play."