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Bill O'Brien names Ryan Fitzpatrick starter

Ryan Fitzpatrick is the Texans' starting quarterback.

Head coach Bill O'Brien informed the entire team of the decision before Tuesday's minicamp practice.

The 10-year veteran was competing with Case Keenum, T.J. Yates and rookie Tom Savage.

"He's a guy that's earned the job," O'Brien said. "All four of them have put in a lot of good work, but at the end of the day, Ryan Fitzpatrick's our starter."

Fitzpatrick started nine games last season for the Titans, and was the Buffalo Bills starting quarterback from 2009 through 2012. While he acknowledged his excitement about getting the job, he said it wouldn't alter the way he prepares.

"I don't think it changes much in terms of the way that I've got to continue to attack the playbook and learn," Fitzpatrick said. "We've got to continue to grow as an offense. We've still got a very long way to go before we step on the field and play Washington."

In making the decision to go with Fitzpatrick as the starter, O'Brien cited three key reasons for the move.

"He earned it with his preparation," O'Brien said. "He earned it with his accuracy. He earned it with his command at the line of scrimmage."

Because the starter has now been determined, Fitzpatrick will get the lion's share of the repetitions in the remaining two minicamp practices, as well as when training camp commences in late July. That extra time working with the first-team offense, according to Fitzpatrick, will prove to be invaluable.

"There is a lot of stuff that you have to carry over from the meeting room to the film and then do it within a play clock," Fitzpatrick said. "And so, it is important to get every rep that I can right now with the one's just so that we can go over all of those situations in a true live setting."

Fitzpatrick and the Texans will practice on Wednesday and Thursday at minicamp, and won't re-convene until the start of training camp at the end of July.

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