Ryan Fitzpatrick joins Amazon as Thursday Night Football analyst

To say the Washington Commanders have cycled through quarterbacks over the last several seasons would be an understatement.

Ryan Fitzpatrick joined that ever-growing list last offseason after he signed a one-year, $10 million contract with Washington in free agency. Fresh off tallying a 95.6 passer rating and leading the Dolphins to a 4-3 record as Tua Tagovailoa’s backup, there was palpable excitement amongst fans after Fitz signed.

Unfortunately, Fitzpatrick’s stint as Washington’s starter lasted all of 16 offensive snaps, as he suffered a season-ending hip injury that ultimately required surgery in the second quarter of the team’s Week 1 loss to the Chargers.

With so much time spent rehabbing away from the team, the injury gave Fitz a glimpse into what retirement would be like and he officially walked away on June 2 after a 17-year career whose uniqueness may never be replicated.

Luckily for NFL fans, Fitzpatrick isn’t fully moving on from football. On Tuesday, it was confirmed the 39-year-old joined Amazon Prime Video as an analyst for Thursday Night Football.

Former Commanders QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has joined Amazon Prime Video as an analyst for Thursday Night Football.

"“Although my playing career has come to an end, my love for football has not,”  Fitzpatrick said in a press release on Tuesday. “I’m excited to start this new chapter with Thursday Night Football and looking forward to sharing my unique experiences and perspectives with football fans.”"

Back in March, the NFL finalized a new 11-year media rights deal that included Amazon getting exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football. The agreement marks the first time a streaming service will carry a full package of games on an exclusive basis and Amazon will pay upwards of $1 billion per year for the rights.

In light of its groundbreaking investment, Amazon has assembled a star-studded team for their Thursday Night Football coverage. Fitzpatrick will join Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez and five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman for Amazon’s TNF pregame, halftime and postgame coverage.

In a bittersweet nugget for Fitzpatrick, next season’s Thursday Night Football schedule includes each of the nine teams he played for in his career: the Rams, Bengals, Bills, Titans, Texans, Jets Buccaneers, Dolphins and Commanders.

It’s unclear if Fitzpatrick will be working Washington’s TNF fixture, but the stars are certainly aligned. In Week 6, the Commanders will travel to Soldier Field to face the Bears for the first of their two primetime games in 2022.

It’s downright gutting Fitzpatrick couldn’t retire on his own terms and we’re thrilled he’s staying close to the game as an analyst. Given his infectious and vibrant personality, he should be a huge hit for Amazon’s coverage.