Fitzpatrick Dishes Out Advice to High School Seniors

Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was part of a group of celebrities sending out videos well-wishes to graduating seniors at a New Jersey High School

Alain Poupart | Jun 8, 2020

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick spent two of his first 15 NFL seasons with the New York Jets and he clearly left an imprint on the New York-New Jersey area.

So it was that Fitzpatrick was among well-known figures recruited to send video congratulations to the graduating class at Chatham High School in New Jersey.

A series of "Senior Shout-Outs" have been posted online since June 1 and will continue for 14 days.

Along with Fitzpatrick, other celebrities to send their congratulations included actress Bonnie Hunt and astronaut Nicole Mann.

Fitzpatrick's message, ironically, came in the same video as one from Jets head coach Adam Gase, who of course was Dolphins head coach from 2016-18.

"I just want to say congratulations," Fitzpatrick said. "You should all be proud of your accomplishments. I lived there for two years and I know a few of you. But what a great place that you all were able to live and grow up in and you should all be very proud."

Fitzpatrick attended high school in Arizona before going to Harvard.

He offered advice to the high school seniors as they "take the next step in your journey," whether that involves work or college.

"Don't race into adulthood," Fitzpatrick said after pointing out that his favorite early memories from Harvard involved activities with friends and fellow students. "You're in an awesome part of your lives right now where you're going to have more freedom than you've ever had, you're also going to have more responsibility than you've ever had.

"But just know that you have to find a balance. You have to find a balance, whether it's work or school work with partying and fun. You can't have all of one and none of the other or (vice versa). Just find a good balance because it is important to enjoy these years, not just to race into adulthood and be working for the rest of your lives."

Fitzpatrick closed his remarks by saying, "I'm looking for big things from you guys in the future. Congratulations!"

Fitzpatrick sent out the message from his home in Arizona, where he has been taking part in the Dolphins' virtual offseason surrounded by his wife and their seven children.

The oldest of the kids, Brady, hasn't started high school yet, so the veteran quarterback still has a few years before he can pass along that same advice to his own children.

Published Jun 8, 2020

ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.