Report: WFT's Ryan Fitzpatrick Likely Out for 2021 with Injury; Heinicke to Stay QB1

Washington Football Team veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will likely not return in 2021, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Fitzpatrick, 38, suffered a hip subluxation in Week 1 that sent him to injured reserve and kept him sidelined. He opted against surgically repairing the hip, however, instead rehabbing it as he looked to return midway through the year. 

Rapoport reported the quarterback "has too long of a road back" to return in 2021 unless he shows vast improvement in his next MRI scheduled in a few weeks. It is still unlikely he'll return in time to help the 3-6 squad.

Fitzpatrick has been the definition of a journeyman in his career, playing for the St. Louis Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins and Washington.

His best year came in 2015 for the Jets, when he went 10-6 as a starter as he threw for 3,905 yards, 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while completing 59.6 percent of his passes. Never afraid to let it rip, Fitzpatrick has been inconsistent but fun to watch throughout his career—you could call him a budget version of Brett Favre.

Washington signed him this offseason after giving up on Dwayne Haskins during the 2020 campaign, leaving him as a short-term fix.

But injury issues have rendered him unavailable for much of the year, leaving Taylor Heinicke in the QB1 role as he looks to prove he can be the long-term solution. Heinicke has totaled 2,184 passing yards and 12 touchdowns against nine interceptions in nine appearances this season.