Ranking every Buccaneers starting quarterback since 1990

Sometimes stars don't need to burn for a long time, they just need to burn bright. That was what the very short-lived but insanely exciting FitzMagic period was like in Tampa Bay.

Objectively, Fitzpatrick was a small blip on the radar but the context in which he spent his magical time with the Bucs matters more than what his numbers will reflect. History won't remember his sub-.500 record or how he flamed out so badly against the Bears that Jameis Winston got another shot at being the starter. Instead, we'll remember the beautiful two weeks at the beginning of the 2018 season when it felt like FitzMagic might pull off his biggest trick yet.

At this point in his career, Fitzpatrick had already spent time with the Bills as a starter and established himself as a guy who knew how to run a successful offense. It's not his fault Buffalo gave him a monster contract when he turned out to be a career backup, but he's one of the best backups of all-time and a guy who can turn the energy of a locker room around.

Nothing proved that power more than how Fitzpatrick came to a God-awful Buccaneers team -- one devoid of any sort of joy -- and made them fun. The brief FitzMagic period happened after fans had been subjected to almost a decade of soulless quarterback play and endless broken promises. You can almost mark the end of the Dark Ages and the beginnings of what ended up becoming the Tom Brady era at one specific point in history: Week 2 of the 2017 season.

After upsetting the Philadelphia Eagles, Fitzpatrick came to the postgame press conference dressed in DeSean Jackson's track suit and gold chains. It was marvelous, ridiculous, and honestly reminded Buccaneers fans of what it felt like to enjoy watching the team.

It's impossible to quantify that moment in wins and losses because it helped break a curse that had been hanging over the heads of fans for years. Things still got worse before they got better, but that was the turning point -- at least psychologically -- for Bucs fans who will forever remain eternally grateful to FitzMagic.