Q)Do you regret your comments after the game about the owner, GM and coach not believing you?
Fitzpatick: No, not at all. The underlying message there, really, is I believe in myself. That’s kind of what I’d like to even get across today. You don’t make it as long as I have in the league and playing on as many teams as I have been on in the league, having to pick myself up over and over again, without believing in yourself.
Q)Do you understanding you comments could be misconstrued?
Fitzpatrick: I don’t really care how they were construed. That’s what I was talking about. We’re here to play football. I think the biggest thing is we need to win games. I stand before you guys every week, even after getting benched. I was disappointed that I got benched, but I was disappointed in the way that I had played, too. There’s a lot of things that I’m continuing to work on, but I continue to keep the faith in myself. We had a good practice today and we just have to continue to move this thing in the right direction.
Q)Did you speak to Todd Bowles about your comments?
Fitzptrick: Basically, the discussion has been we’re all here to do the same thing, which is to win football games. It doesn’t matter how it happens. This business, he always says, is a show-me business. This business is based on production. And you’ve got to go out there and produce. That’s what I’m working at right now and that’s what I intend to do for the rest of the year.
Q)What did you think of Bowles comments on Monday about being pissed is fine as long as you cut down on turnovers?
Fitpatrick: That was fine. I know what I have to do going forward to play better and to produce. I think that’s obvious. I’m a quarterback in the National Football League, I’ve been asked to lead this team and there are certain things that I need to do to lead this team in order to win games and turning the ball over is not one of them.
Q)Did you speak with Mr. Johnson and Mike Maccagnan?
Fitzpatrick: I have. It really, again, I hate to keep saying the same thing, but the way this business works, as we all know it’s the NFL and it’s a show-me business, it’s based on production. You have to go and do it on the field. When we win and when I play well, everybody is happy. And I think that’s the most important thing that can come of this. I know that I have to be a better player and I’m working at it every day.
Q)Did Mr. Johnson have anything to say to you?
Fitzpatrick: It was more of just a normal conversation, actually, just based on how we’re doing as a team. It really wasn’t anything different than a normal Wednesday or Thursday with Mr. Johnson at practice.
