Ryan Fitzpatrick has Harvard diploma, wants Super Bowl ring
Ryan Fitzpatrick #14 of the New York Jets scrambles in the first half of a game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015 in East Rutherford, N.J. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has heard and read countless references during his decade in the NFL to the fact he played collegiately at Harvard, which in football terms is not necessarily a compliment.
But Fitzpatrick mostly has embraced his Harvard background, and he seemed to appreciate it last month when he broke the record for NFL touchdown passes by an Ivy Leaguer, surpassing the late Sid Luckman of Columbia.
After Sunday’s victory over the Giants, Fitzpatrick paused outside the Giants locker room when he saw former Giant Kevin Boothe (Cornell) and current Giant Zak DeOssie (Brown) there.
During their ensuing chat, Fitzpatrick proceeded to tick off a list of current Ivy Leaguers in the NFL — including practice squadders — off the top of his head.
Boothe and DeOssie have something Fitzpatrick wants: a Super Bowl ring. Actually, they have two each, making them two of only four Ivy League alums with more than one Super Bowl victory. Fitzpatrick would settle for one at this stage.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
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