The National Football League today announced that Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 1.
Against the New Orleans Saints, Fitzpatrick completed 21-of-28 passes (75.0 pct.) for 417 yards (14.89 yards per attempt), with four touchdowns and no interceptions, compiling a passer rating of 156.2. He also added 36 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. He joined Washington's Mark Rypien (11/10/91 vs. ATL) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to pass for at least 400 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions and rush for a touchdown in a single game. Fitzpatrick's 156.2 rating and 14.89 yards per attempt were the highest in the NFL in Week 1, while his 417 passing yards were the third-most and his four touchdowns were tied for the most in Week 1.
Fitzpatrick's 156.2 passer rating is a career high and the second-highest single-game mark in team history (highest: Craig Erickson, 158.3 vs. IND, 9/11/94), while his 14.89 yards per attempt average is a career high and new single-game franchise record. Fitzpatrick's 417 passing yards are also a career best, standing as the fourth-most in a game in team history and only the sixth time a player has eclipsed 400 passing yards in a game for the Buccaneers. Fitzpatrick's 453 combined rushing and passing yards are the third-most in a game in team history. He is the first player in team history to throw for at least four touchdowns and also rush for a score in the same game.
In addition, Tampa Bay's 48 points tied a franchise record, the team's 529 total yards of offense was the second-most in a game in team history and the team gained 8.5 yards per play against the Saints, the second-highest single-game mark in team history.
This is Fitzpatrick's sixth career Offensive Player of the Week award, having earned the honor with the St. Louis Rams (Week 12, 2005), the Houston Texans (Week 13, 2014) and the New York Jets (Weeks 14 & 16, 2015; Week 2, 2016).
-BUCCANEERS-
