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Ryan Fitzpatrick provides encouraging ‘scoop’ about Bills QB Josh Allen’s hand injury

Ryan Fitzpatrick has insider information regarding Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen's hand injury.

Kyle Silagyi

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Though the love that Buffalo Bills fans feel toward quarterback Josh Allen is of previously unfathomable levels, the Western New York faithful have a long history of embracing their team’s signal-callers. Some have been more adored than others, but most passers over the past few decades have had their fair share of supporters, with perhaps no post-Jim Kelly, pre-Allen quarterback being more beloved than Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The Harvard graduate suited up for the Bills in parts of four seasons, starting 53 games from 2009–2012 after initially taking over for an injured Trent Edwards. He threw for 11,654 yards, 80 touchdowns, and 64 interceptions throughout his time in Buffalo, providing not necessarily textbook quarterback play, but a momentary signal-caller bright spot amidst a postseason drought that would ultimately stretch 17 seasons. Bills fans embraced the brash style he played with, and the signal-caller loved them right back; Fitzpatrick played for two teams before his stop in Buffalo and would go on to start games for another six clubs, but it’s his time in Orchard Park that he looks back on most fondly, so much so that he watched the Bills’ 2021 AFC Divisional Round win over the New England Patriots amongst fans in the Highmark Stadium crowd.

Related: Bills' wide receiver gives update on injured Josh Allen's throwing ability

Fitzpatrick doesn’t hide his Buffalo fandom, nor does he hide his affinity for or friendship with the team’s current signal caller. The long-time quarterback has long been outspoken in his love for Allen, and their relationship has allowed him to get an inside scoop ahead of the Bills’ Week 2 Thursday Night Football clash with the Miami Dolphins. Allen picked up a left-hand injury in Buffalo’s Week 1 win over the Arizona Cardinals and has practiced with a glove in the leadup to the primetime divisional matchup; a member of Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football coverage, Fitzpatrick Facetimed with Allen ahead of the upcoming game, providing Kay Adams with some injury-related insight during a recent appearance on Up and Adams.

“I’ll give you [a] real insider scoop,” Fitzpatrick said. “I Facetimed with him yesterday, he was holding the phone with his left hand, so I think we’re going to be okay.”

Fitzpatrick went on to speak about a time he played through an injury to his non-throwing hand and how such ailments can impact quarterback play.

“For me, I had surgery, ended up playing a few days later, had a hard cast around my thumb, so it was a lot more shotgun for me,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think we’ll look at that early in the game, say ‘Is he going under center? How are the handoffs with his left hand?’ Those will be the two things I’ll be looking for early to make sure it’s not bothering him. He’s using his right hand to throw, so he’ll be good to go in that aspect.”

Fitzpatrick brings up the idea of the Bills remaining mostly in shotgun to mitigate the number of snaps Allen needs to take from under center, but this doesn’t look as though it will be a major concern; head coach Sean McDermott told reporters earlier this week that he doesn't think there will be any limitations regarding his quarterback taking snaps from under center.

The team cleared Allen to participate in this week’s game on Monday, and he was a full participant in practice throughout the week. Fitzpatrick’s “scoop,” though more comical than substantive, does indicate that Allen’s ailment isn’t preventing him from using his hand in menial tasks; it hopefully won’t prevent him from stiff-arming defenders en route to the endzone on Thursday night.

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Kyle Silagyi

KYLE SILAGYI

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