One day after Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores elevated rookie Tua Tagovailoa to starting quarterback, the recently demoted Ryan Fitzpatrick said the timing of the move “broke my heart,” as he wonders whether he has started his last NFL game.
“I was shocked by it. It definitely caught me off guard. It was a hard thing for me to hear yesterday, just kind of digesting the news. My heart just hurt all day. It was heartbreaking for me,” Fitzpatrick said Wednesday. “Flo kind of said what he said and said what he said to you guys as well, and that’s the decision and the direction that the organization is going in.”
“Obviously we’ve talked in the past, me and you guys, about how I’m the placeholder and this eventually was going to happen,” Fitzpatrick added. “It was just a matter of kind of when, not if. It still just … it broke my heart yesterday. It’s a tough thing for me to hear and to now have to deal with, but I’m going to do my best with it.”
ARLINGTON, Texas — Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was not blaming any part of Monday night’s 38-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on quarterback Dak Prescott’s absence. He was putting it all on himself.
“I don’t think we can use that as an excuse,” Elliott said of not having Prescott, who suffered a season-ending compound fracture and dislocated right ankle in Week 5. “I’m just going to keep saying it over and over — I started the game out with two fumbles, gave the ball away and gave them all the momentum they need to go take off. I want to say I’m sorry and this one is on me. I need to be better.”
Elliott finished with 49 yards on 12 carries and caught a team-high eight passes but for just 31 yards. However, it was fumbles on back-to-back drives in the first and second quarters that changed the game.
The NFL has informed the Tennessee Titans that its review of how the team handled its coronavirus outbreak has concluded. The organization will face a potential fine, a league source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Individuals will not be disciplined, and there was no discussion of forfeiture of draft picks, according to Schefter.
The team was fully cooperative, as the league inspected the facility and found it to be in compliance.
Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski made it clear despite a 38-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that Baker Mayfield remains his starting quarterback, assuming he’s healthy.
Battling a rib injury that limited him in practice all week, Mayfield struggled Sunday, throwing a pick-six on Cleveland’s third offensive snap, setting the tone for the Pittsburgh rout.
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Taking multiple big shots from the Steelers, Mayfield was especially inefficient on third down and while facing the blitz. On third downs, he went just 2-of-7 passing for 5 yards with a sack and two picks; when facing the blitz, Mayfield completed 2 of 6 passes for only 11 yards with an interception and three sacks.
Stefanski finally replaced Mayfield late in the third quarter with backup Case Keenum, but attributed the move to the 24-point deficit and to Mayfield’s ailing ribs.
“I didn’t want to see him get hit one more time,” said Stefanski, who shouldered much of the blame for Mayfield’s ineffective performance. “I know this, I didn’t do a good enough job allowing him to be put in [successful] positions. I have to do way better. I can’t let him get hit like that.”
Mayfield now has 11 career game with multiple interceptions. Only