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The Fitzmagic is gone: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to undergo season-ending hip surgery, per report

Unfortunately for the NFL, there will be no Fitzmagic this year.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Washington Football Team QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is set to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his hip, ending his season.

Fitzpatrick played just one game in 2021, Washington's season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers. He attempted just six passes before going down with a hip injury. Diagnosed with a hip subluxation, it initially didn't seem like he'd be out more than a few weeks, but time kept passing without an update.

In November, Rapoport reported that Fitzpatrick's hip wasn't healing at the rate the team had expected. His hip and groin were still swollen and painful, and he hadn't been able to start rehab. He wasn't expected to return this season, but this surgery report makes it clear he's definitely not.

What is the future for Fitzmagic?

Fitzpatrick, the NFL's consummate journeyman QB, just turned 39. He's been in the league for 17 seasons and played for nine different teams. With this hip injury decimating his season, what's next for him?

One thing seems sure: his future isn't in Washington. Fitzpatrick's one-year contract with WFT is up, and even though he was named the starting quarterback to begin the season, his injury allowed young QB Taylor Heinicke a chance to start. Heinicke hasn't been stellar, but he's been consistent, especially lately. After starting 2-6, he's led the team to four straight wins, including victories over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders.

So where does Fitzpatrick go next? At this point it's hard to tell. There's almost always a team that needs a QB like him: an experienced veteran who can help the young guys while giving a solid (and sometimes inconsistent) performance. That's not a knock on Fitzpatrick — teams genuinely need quarterbacks like him, or else he wouldn't have been able to last nearly 20 years in the NFL.

But there's always the possibility that he decides to retire. Fitzpatrick hasn't given any indication that he's planning to or even wants to, but the facts are what they are: he's 39 and has seven kids. After spending almost the entire season off the field, he could decide that's where he wants to stay. But hopefully, after such a disappointing season, Fitzmagic will return to give his NFL career a proper finale.