Father Dungy: Fitz (For Now)
September 24th, 2018
Weighs in on Bucs QBs.
Tonight, Tony Dungy will be inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor for turning around what was a moribund franchise before he arrived (and what returned after he and Chucky were jettisoned).
Dungy made his mark building a defense for the ages. But offense and quarterbacks? Well, let’s just say that wasn’t his cup of tea.
That doesn’t mean Dungy hasn’t offered his two cents worth as to what is going on with the Bucs quarterback situation.
Of course, we learned yesterday from FOX NFL insider Jay Glazer that America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, has been benched. Even though he returns tomorrow from the three-game sentence slapped on him by NFL strongman Roger Goodell, Bucs coach Dirk Koetter (or someone over Koetter’s head) made the decision Ryan Fitzpatrick will remain the starter for the time being.
Fitzpatrick has been playing out of his mind, leading the Bucs by hitting 48 of 61 passes for an unreal 819 yards. So Koetter (or someone over Koetter’s head) decided to stick with the hot hand of Fitz.
Which brings Joe to Dungy. The Hall of Fame coach appeared on “PFT Live” Friday with the creator, curator and overall guru of Pro Football Talk, the great Mike Florio. There, Florio asked Dungy what he would do if he was in Koetter’s shoes.
“I think you have to do what gives you the best chance to win,” Dungy said. “And right now with Ryan playing like he is playing the last two games, if he does it again Monday night, how can you say we have a better chance of winning with a quarterback who hasn’t been in the building for three-and-a-half weeks vs. the guy who has been ‘Player of the Week’ for two weeks in a row? You can’t make that move.
“Right now, Ryan Fitzpatrick gives us the best chance to win. I go back to the Dolphins (in the perfect season). Bob Griese was their leader. He sprains an ankle early on. Earl Morrall goes in. Career backup guy. He was the backup. He plays lights out and he ends up being the MVP of the league that year.
“Bob Griese sat until the playoffs. He was ready to go. [Don] Shula stayed with the hot hand and in the playoffs when he needed Griese he came in and won a Super Bowl.
“As good as Bob Griese was, Hall of Famer, Earl Morrall was hot. And that is Fitz right now and that’s what the Bucs should do.”
But Dungy made it clear he does not believe we have seen the last of Jameis in a Bucs uniform, or the last of Jameis as a Bucs starting quarterback. Dungy explained he fully expects to see Jameis back at his normal position at some point before the end of the season.
“I don’t think they will go with Ryan [the rest of the season] no matter what because they have the first pick in the draft sitting behind him,” Dungy said. Koetter has “to say, ‘Hey, I will make the decision when I feel like Ryan doesn’t give us the best chance to win. We have a great player ready to play. For now, Ryan Fitzpatrick is playing and I will let you know when he is not going to play.'”
Joe is pretty sure Koetter won’t want Glazer making that announcement.
September 24th, 2018 at 8:08 am
GO FITZ!!! His play has been incomparable……period. GO BUCS!
September 24th, 2018 at 8:18 am
Joe, you make it sound like Koetter has lost the ship. It would be stupid to think otherwise. All the talking heads had us going 0-3. You have both been around football long enough to see that Fitz is in some kind of zone. Leave the sensationalism to Tom Jones!! What has Jameis done for this franchise that he has earned the honor of handing him back the team after this kind of start? This is a Cinderella story so far, Joe, don’t be the evil queen!!! Embrace the magic, come to the dark side. Jameis will be back sooner or later. Maybe Fitz is in a “happy place” like Happy Gilmour? Let it play out….
September 24th, 2018 at 8:19 am
Another tome in the “We’re just waiting for Fitz to falter so we can get Winston back” saga. Entertaining and weird…
September 24th, 2018 at 8:21 am
I love how Dungy says “Ryan Fitzpatrick gives us the best chance to win.” Us. He still has that connection to the team.
BTW, there are some really nice, long audio interviews with him posted on the Bucs website last week in which you can hear his enthusiasm for the time he was here. What a great guy.
September 24th, 2018 at 8:22 am
Fitz has played better than any Qb in the history in league. Still ended winning both by 1 score
What scares me is that we a need a Qb to play like Fitz.every week which is unsustainable.
September 24th, 2018 at 8:24 am
Bucs have an abysmal record of these honorary games whether it of ROH or alumni ….wishing for that happy feeling after a win
September 24th, 2018 at 8:45 am
Jim- I keep thinking the same thing. It truly is bizarre to be a Bucs fan sometimes!
We are winning! What else needs to be said?!
Ironically, we’ll be talking about the same thing come next week when the Bucs send Pittsburgh home with an 0-2-1 record! So, there’s that to look forward to.
September 24th, 2018 at 8:46 am
I really hope they televise his induction ceremony on ESPN, but I doubt they will.
September 24th, 2018 at 8:49 am
Butthurt much Joe?
September 24th, 2018 at 8:52 am
I wonder if tony would put up with jameis sexual issues?
September 24th, 2018 at 8:54 am
Good assessment.
September 24th, 2018 at 8:57 am
Nobody cares I’m sick of the media asking this stupid question everyday basically refusing to talk about who we are as a team. The media is beating this drum under the disguise that fans want to know but only the idiots are asking this question. If it were a goalie, a pitcher or any other position in any sport you ride the hot hand especially if it’s a veteran. Then again it’s all dirks fault, he wouldn’t ride the hot hand at running back so he’ll probably do something stupid like bench the hot hand in this situation. Whoever he plays won’t matter because someone will complain
September 24th, 2018 at 9:00 am
yeah if it aint broke don’t fix it…..
fitz is the present….Winston is the future….
TUNNELVISION!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
September 24th, 2018 at 9:03 am
Dear Jameis,
Maybe bring a cushion with you to the games to make that bench a little more comfortable for you.
It might be a while.
Or
You could call webster and see if you can sit in his lap.
I think he would really enjoy that.
September 24th, 2018 at 9:11 am
Griese BROKE is leg, he didn’t have a sprain and wasn’t ready to play until the playoffs. Earl Morrall played great, but as soon as Griese was ready to play, he went back in. Revisionist history?
September 24th, 2018 at 9:21 am
OK guys, Joe did the research.
Bob Griese was injured Oct. 15 against San Diego. He didn’t play again until he relieved Earl Morrall in the AFC championship at Pittsburgh Dec. 31.
Griese started five games that season, playing in six.
Dungy was still in high school.
September 24th, 2018 at 9:24 am
This is a stupid argument. Only future play will determine outcome..
September 24th, 2018 at 9:29 am
[Sorry, not going there. And if draft picks is what you are looking for, it is the other bay area team that you can steal a ransom from. Chucky would likely give up a second round pick for Fitz. He’s already throwing Derek Carr under the bus. — Joe]
September 24th, 2018 at 9:34 am
Fitz til Tua
September 24th, 2018 at 9:44 am
passthebuc Says:
September 24th, 2018 at 9:24 am
This is a stupid argument. Only future play will determine outcome..
I think you are wrong… I’m convinced Koetter is scanning these posts to see what the fans think before he makes a decision.
September 24th, 2018 at 10:28 am
@joe. Perfect time to trade him.
September 24th, 2018 at 11:55 am
So Jameis comes back tomorrow. After three weeks away from the team he gets a short week to get ready for Chicago.
The schedule heavily dictates that JW comes back against Atlanta in game five…after this short week of work..and then two more weeks of practice because of the bye. It’s actually set up perfectly for him.
September 24th, 2018 at 12:29 pm
’79Defense
I liked that “gives us the best chance to win” also.
September 24th, 2018 at 1:50 pm
@stpete: put the bong down.
September 24th, 2018 at 3:37 pm
Leave it to Dungy to be the only non-tard on the nation media screen. Anywho there’s a reason why Dungy is the most beloved coach in Buccaneers history.