Washington quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick won’t undergo surgery for his hip injury after receiving a variety of medical opinions, according to multiple reports.
Fitzpatrick suffered a hip subluxation last weekend and was placed on injured reserve. But after consulting with a number of doctors, the 38-year-old is reportedly choosing to recover by focusing on rehab and rest. Fitzpatrick’s timetable to return is between six to eight weeks — meaning there’s a chance he could return after the team’s bye week in November.
Washington will roll with quarterback Taylor Heinicke in the meantime, starting with Thursday’s game against the New York Giants.
The NFL Network was the first to report the news.
The team signed Fitzpatrick to a one-year, $10 million deal in March. But in the team’s opener, Chargers defensive end Uchenna Nwosu landed a crushing hit on Fitzpatrick in the second quarter — causing the journeyman to exit the game. An MRI later revealed that Fitzpatrick was dealing with a hip subluxation, an injury just a notch below a hip dislocation.
Dr. Derek Ochiai, a Virginia-based orthopedic surgeon who holds no formal connection to the team, told The Washington Times that Fitzpatrick wouldn’t necessarily need surgery, depending on the severity. But he added that if Fitzpatrick’s injury doesn’t heal properly, surgery could be an option at a later date.
Coach Ron Rivera did not give a timetable for Fitzpatrick’s recovery, saying he didn’t want to put pressure on the quarterback to meet a deadline. Despite the injury, Rivera said Fitzpatrick was still participating in the team’s meetings.
“He was there (at the facility) and getting his treatments and stuff like that,” Rivera said Tuesday. “We’ll continue and we’ll go from that. … Right now, there is no urgency in terms of timeframe.”
Washington’s bye week isn’t until early November in Week 9.
If Fitzpatrick returns after that, his first game after the injury would be against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
