DAVIE, Fla. – As the Miami Dolphins head into Week 1 against the New England Patriots, the players have voted on team captains and coach Brian Flores has officially announced a starting quarterback.
It’s not a surprise that after this nontraditional offseason, Flores has chosen veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick to start over rookie Tua Tagovailoa.
“This isn’t groundbreaking news, but Fitz is going to be the starter,” Flores told reporters Monday morning. “In a year like this with limited — no OTAs, no minicamp — limited training camp or modified training camp, we just felt like that was the best decision for the team. He’s done a good job through the course of training camp and he’ll be out there.”
Fitzpatrick, 37, passed for 3,529 yards and 20 touchdowns last season. He threw for 320 yards and a TD and also ran for another score in a 27-24 win at New England in Week 17 last year.
The Patriots will be starting newcomer Cam Newton at QB in Sunday’s 1 p.m. kickoff in Foxborough, Mass., their first game in the post-Tom Brady era.
“They still have a lot of talented players. They are well-coached, they are tough, they’re physical,” Flores said of New England. “Playing on the road is always hard. I know there are no fans, but playing on the road is a tough thing. They still have a talented roster. Cam Newton is a former MVP, former No. 1 overall pick.”
Flores also revealed that his players selected Fitzpatrick, Ted Karras and Jesse Davis as offensive captains; Bobby McCain, Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts as defensive captains; and Clayton Fejedelem and Kavon Frazier as special teams captains.