Ryan Fitzpatrick wants to keep playing in the NFL, but he knows it won’t be with the Jets beyond Sunday.
The veteran quarterback admitted as much Wednesday, describing his exit as “an obvious reality” after he makes one final start for Gang Green this weekend at home against the Bills.
“I think there’s probably an obvious reality the way the year is going to come to a close for me,” Fitzpatrick said of his future with the Jets once the one-year, $12 million deal he signed last summer is up.
Fitzpatrick, who has thrown 10 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions in 13 appearances, said this has been “the most difficult season” of his career.
“I don’t think any of us expected this,” said Fitzpatrick, who threw a franchise-record 31 touchdown passes in his 2015 Jets debut. “I don’t know outside looking in what people expected, but it’s tough. The way that it’s gone, and for me, especially my playing and things I could’ve done better, that’s what makes this so hard.”
Fitzpatrick, who lost the starting job twice only to regain it for the finale because Bryce Petty and Geno Smith are hurt and the Jets don’t want to play rookie Christian Hackenberg, thinks he still has something to offer to a team in a 13th NFL season.
“I still enjoy playing,” the 34-year-old Fitzpatrick said. “I still like being out there and competing. My boys are getting old enough now, where it’s kind of cool and fun for them to come to the games. I think as long as I still enjoy doing it, then I’ll keep doing it.”
Veteran center Nick Mangold also has no plans to hang up his spikes, even though he faces potential surgery on his foot in the offseason and could be a salary-cap casualty next spring.
‘’Shoot, I love football,’’ Mangold said, speaking to reporters Wednesday for the first time since being put on injured reserve three weeks ago. “I miss it dearly, so I’m planning on playing.”
Mangold said he should know within a month whether the ankle will require surgery, but he has been told surgery wouldn’t keep him from being ready for the start of training camp next summer.
“My foot hurts, and I’m trying to make it not hurt,” Mangold said.
Mangold turns 33 next month and is set to count $9.1 million against the Jets’ cap in 2017. They easily could cut him because his replacement, Wesley Johnson, is much cheaper and has played well in his absence.
Running back Khiry Robinson was placed on injured reserve after he broke his right leg for the third time in 13 months.
Robinson, who was cut in early September and re-signed Dec. 7, was injured Saturday in his first game back since breaking the leg in the preseason finale.
Bernard Pierce, who spent time with the Jets in training camp, worked out for them Wednesday. The Jets currently are shorthanded at running back due to injuries to Matt Forte and Bilal Powell that could keep them out of the Buffalo game.
Wide receiver Brandon Marshall (hip and knee) also is hurting and did not practice Wednesday, and he was joined by cornerback Juston Burris (knee) and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins (hamstring).