The NFL Odyssey: Ryan Fitzpatrick's Extraordinary Journey Across Nine Teams, Seven Cities, and Cult-Like Status

In sports, the term journeyman can sometimes carry negative connotations, often referring to an athlete who struggles to secure a permanent position. However, for former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, it is a point of pride.

Despite criticism for not settling in one city long-term, he holds an NFL record for starting at least one game for nine different NFL teams. The former quarterback has fully embraced his reputation as a traveler and his mystical, cult status.

"I absolutely embrace it because that's what I was and that's what my career was," the 41-year-old told CNN Sports Don Riddell when asked about the journeyman tag. "I traveled. It seemed like every year, every other year, we were moving from city to city."

Fitzpatrick is greeted by his family after training camp during his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018.

Only 33 players in the history of the NFL have amassed more passing yards than Fitzpatrick, making his achievement all the more impressive considering he hadn't initially planned on pursuing a career in the sport. Despite slim prospects of playing in the NFL, Fitzpatrick attended Harvard University.

Fitzpatrick (No. 14) in action for the Harvard Crimson against the Penn Quakers in 2004.

In a foreshadowing of the excitement he would bring throughout his career, a young Fitzpatrick threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Rams to a 33-27 overtime victory after trailing 27-3 at halftime. Although the rest of his rookie season was lackluster, with three more starts resulting in losses and seven interceptions, the legend of Fitzmagic had begun.

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In addition to his time playing for various NFL teams, Fitzpatrick has gained a reputation for his impressive, full beard. When he first entered the league from Harvard, he was a young, inexperienced quarterback just hoping to make a name for himself.

Fitzpatrick prepares to take the snap during the Buffalo Bills' game against the Philadelphia Eagles on October 9, 2011.

Now, one might assume that the combination of a journeyman Fitzpatrick and a struggling Jets team, a franchise notorious for its lack of success and coming off four consecutive years without making the playoffs, would not bode well.

The Passtronaut, Josh Dobbs, went from perennial back-up to cult hero with his meteoric rise. Despite the veteran roster and Fitzmagic's ability to produce extraordinary plays, the Jets managed to catch lightning in a bottle in 2015, bringing joy to a usually dark corner of New Jersey.

During that unexpected season, the Fitzmagic nickname was born. And for the man himself, he's just grateful that it's the nickname he's remembered by.

"I love the nickname. I've been called a lot of bad things, too, but I'm glad that one is the one that stuck," he said.

He has gained valuable insight into the fluctuating landscape of the league this season, especially with the recent surge of injuries affecting top NFL players. From Aaron Rodgers in the first week of the season to more recent cases like Joe Burrow and Deshaun Watson, teams have been forced to innovate and adjust to the absence of their star players on the field due to injuries.

D.J. Moore of the Chicago Bears celebrates a touchdown during the first quarter of the Bears' 28-13 upset win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday, November 10.

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Tylan Wallace, the wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens, evades numerous tackle attempts during a thrilling 76-yard punt return for a touchdown in overtime against the Los Angeles Rams. Wallace's game-winning touchdown secured a 37-31 victory for the Ravens.

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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence reacts after suffering an injury during the Jaguars' 34-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday, December 4.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy looks to pass during the 49ers' 42-19 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, December 3.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk a catches touchdown pass in the end zone.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton celebrates after catching a 45-yard touchdown pass. The Broncos lost to the Houston Texans 22-17.

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Jalen Hurts, the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, jubilantly celebrates his game-winning touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in overtime on Sunday, November 26th. The Eagles emerged victorious with a final score of 37-34.

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample dives into the end zone for a touchdown during the Bengals' 16-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson scrambles in the backfield. The Browns lost 29-12 to the Denver Broncos.

Desmond Ridder of the Atlanta Falcons hands the ball off to Tyler Allgeier during the Falcons' 24-15 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott eats a turkey leg after the Cowboys' 45-10 Thanksgiving Day victory over the Washington Commanders on November 23.

Christian Watson of the Green Bay Packers makes a catch for a touchdown during a game against the Detroit Lions. The Packers beat the Lions 29-22.

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During the Bengals' 34-20 Thursday Night Football loss to the Baltimore Ravens on November 16, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was seen holding his wrist after a throw. It was later revealed that he had torn a ligament in his right wrist.

After intercepting the ball, Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon celebrates with teammates during the team's 10-6 victory over the New England Patriots in Frankfurt, Germany, on November 12, as captured in this photo by Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA Today Network/Reuters.

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Kyler Murray, the quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, carried the ball during their 25-23 win against the Atlanta Falcons. This marked Murray's return to the field after sustaining an injury towards the end of the previous season. (Photo credit: Mike Christy/Getty Images)

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New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas evades Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler is tackled by Aidan Hutchinson and Derrick Barnes of the Detroit Lions during the Chargers' 41-38 loss. Detroit linebacker Jack Campbell is also part of the play.

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In the game against the Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs made a reach for the pylon, securing a 31-28 victory for the team. Dobbs, who joined the Vikings in a recent trade, displayed his skill by throwing for 158 yards with two touchdowns through the air and adding one on the ground.

During the first half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans drops back to pass. Stroud's impressive performance included throwing for 470 yards in the Texans' closely-fought 39-37 victory.

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren evades Tre Avery of the Tennessee Titans on November 2. The Steelers beat the Titans 20-16.

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Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian celebrates a second quarter interception in Denver on October 29. The Broncos beat the Kansas City Chiefs 24-9.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis throws a pass during the Titans' 28-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Levis threw four touchdowns during the game, his NFL debut.

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Following the loss to the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes left the field. His opportunity to make history with a victory was thwarted as he threw two interceptions and failed to score any touchdowns.

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Irv Smith Jr. runs past San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga. The Bengals beat the 49ers 31-17.

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Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams drops a pass in the end zone. The Raiders lost 30-12 to the Chicago Bears.

Younghoe Koo, the placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons, celebrates with his teammates following his game-winning field goal on the final play of the Falcons' 16-13 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor runs the ball during the Colts' 39-38 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

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Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert jumps over Carolina Panthers cornerback CJ Henderson. Mostert had two touchdowns during the Dolphins' 42-21 victory.

Before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field in Chicago, Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields was seen warming up with a #51 patch as a tribute to the late Dick Butkus, a legendary Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker who played nine seasons for the Bears before passing away on October 5.

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes calls a play during the Chiefs' 19-8 Thursday Night Football win over the Denver Broncos on October 12.

On October 9, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed watched from the sideline as Las Vegas Raiders' Robert Spillane was congratulated for his interception. The Raiders emerged victorious with a 17-13 win over the Packers. Photo by David Becker/AP.

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New York Jets running back Breece Hall carries the ball during a game against the Denver Broncos. The Jets won 31-21.

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Zack Moss, the running back for the Indianapolis Colts, dashes into the end zone for a touchdown in the opening quarter of the game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts secured a 23-16 victory over the Titans.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens celebrates after catching a 41-yard touchdown pass during the Steelers' 17-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens.

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Ahead of a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley Stadium in London, Jacksonville Jaguars fans were seen waving flags in support. The match marked the first of five international games scheduled by the NFL this season as part of its ever-expanding International Series. The Jaguars emerged victorious with a 23-7 win.

Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions celebrates with fans during his team's 34-20 victory over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on September 28.

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Damar Hamlin, safety for the Buffalo Bills, passionately warms up before the game against the Miami Dolphins. This game marks Hamlin's first regular season appearance after overcoming a cardiac arrest on the field almost nine months ago. The Bills secured a 48-20 victory over the Dolphins.

Brian Robinson Jr. of the Washington Commanders makes a pass reception during the second quarter of the Commanders' 34-31 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Kareem Jackson of the Denver Broncos celebrates intercepting a pass thrown by Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. The Broncos won 31-28.

Miami Dolphins' running back Raheem Mostert is joined by teammates Braxton Berrios and Christian Wilkins to celebrate after scoring four touchdowns in the team's dominant win over the Broncos on September 24.

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper pulls in a catch for a touchdown during the Browns' 27-3 victory over the Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen leaps into the endzone for a touchdown during his team's 37-3 win over the Washington Commanders.

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder is sacked by Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes in the first half at Ford Field in Detroit. The Falcons lost 20-6.

On September 18, Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb suffered a knee injury during a Monday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Grimacing in pain, he was taken off the field in the second quarter. Prior to leaving the game, Chubb, a star running back, had managed 10 carries for 64 yards. The incident was captured by Matt Durisko/AP.

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During the first quarter at TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence made a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite his efforts, Lawrence only managed to throw for 216 yards in Jacksonville's 17-9 loss to Kansas City.

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson makes a catch over New York Giants safety Jason Pinnock at State Farm Stadium. The Cardinals narrowly lost 31-28.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Noah Gray receives a pass. The Chiefs beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 17-9.

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During the second half of the game at Acrisure Stadium on September 10 in Pennsylvania, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey searched for open space to carry the ball, ultimately contributing to the team's 30-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Carolina Panthers tight end Hayden Hurst attempted to fend off Atlanta Falcons safety Richie Grant in the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Despite his efforts, the Falcons emerged victorious with a 24-10 win. (Photo credit: Dale Zanine/USA Today Network/Reuters)

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Deven Thompkins runs with the ball during the fourth quarter of a 20-17 win against the Minnesota Vikings at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

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In the first quarter of the game against the Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver and punt returner Zay Flowers made an impressive catch on a deep pass. The enthusiastic Baltimore fans had a lot to cheer about as their team dominated the Texans with a final score of 25-9.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker TJ Watt sacks San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. It was to be one of the only highlights for the home fans as the Niners won 30-7.

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"When Aaron Rodgers or Joe Burrow are on the field, the game improves. These absences not only affect the teams, but also the fans and the excitement of the sport," he explained.

"We want all players to be healthy, but particular importance is placed on the health of these quarterbacks. For example, having or not having Aaron Rodgers on the Jets this year could have made a difference of seven or eight wins, which is remarkable. It really shows the significant impact a player can have on a franchise."