Ryan Fitzpatrick Admits 'Getting to Be a Dad' Keeps Him Grounded Despite 'Chaos' of Raising 7 Kids With Wife Liza

Ryan Fitzpatrick says life after football may still be busy, but nothing keeps him grounded quite like being a dad.

The retired NFL quarterback — who shares seven children with his wife, Liza — opens up about family life and the lessons his career taught him during an exclusive chat with OK!, while speaking about his partnership with Aruba Tourism Authority. and a recent vacation the couple spent at the breathtaking Caribbean island.

Despite the chaos that comes with raising a large family, Ryan admits fatherhood remains the most important part of his life.

"I would just say being around my kids and getting to be a dad," he shares of what keeps him grounded now that he’s no longer playing in the NFL full-time.

Instead of game days and team meetings dominating his schedule, the former quarterback now finds joy in everyday moments with his children: Brady (b. 2007), Tate (b. 2009), Lucy (b. 2011), Maizy (b. 2013), Zoey (b. 2015), Ruby (b. 2017), and Jake (b. 2019).

"[The other day], it was the daddy-daughter dance. Before that, it was the junior high basketball game," he details. "Just getting to sit there and watch my daughter play basketball and have a smile on her face and enjoy what she was doing."

His kids’ varied interests also keep him busy in the best way.

"One of my sons does the YouTube broadcast for his high school sports teams," Ryan explains. "Listening to him commentate a game — it’s really cool for all my kids to have such different interests and to just sit back and watch them grow."

While the NFL veteran enjoyed a long career that included stops with several teams, he feels the ups and downs of professional football ultimately shaped how he hopes to lead by example for his children.

"I think the biggest thing is perseverance and being able to handle adversity," the former signal-caller reflects. "Life is not going to be a straight line, and there were a lot of ups and downs in my career."

He continues, "I always tried to deal with those and keep in mind my kids and how I’d want them to see me react to certain things."

Though football helped define his professional life, Ryan credits his wife with being the true backbone of their bustling household.

"She’s incredible," he gushes of Liza. "We always wanted a huge family with lots of kids, and with that brings a lot of happiness but also a lot of stress."

The athlete praises his longtime partner for managing their hectic schedule and keeping everything running smoothly at home.

"She truly is the CEO of the household, managing schedules," he states. "If I could show you our calendar every single day — the activities the kids have at school, soccer practices, basketball practices, choir concerts — everybody getting pulled in different directions."

Despite the chaos, Ryan notes watching how his wife navigates it all continues to inspire him.

"The most important thing you’ll do in your life is picking the right partner," he declares. "I got really lucky meeting Liza when we were in college and knowing right away she was going to be the one for me."

Their busy life recently paused for a rare getaway when the couple traveled to Aruba — a trip that reminded them both how valuable time together can be.

Ryan admits vacations without their kids don’t happen often.

"We have seven children, so there’s not a lot of trips that we get to go on that are just the two of us," he says.

Still, the couple quickly discovered why the island is nicknamed "One Happy Island."

"You just get there and you feel lighter, you feel happier," Ryan recalls. "Even since we’ve been back, there’s been this lasting feeling of happiness and rejuvenation."

The pair balanced relaxation with adventure during their stay, including exploring Arikok National Park and discovering caves and hiking trails across the island.

"There was a natural swimming pool, there were hikes we did — there’s just so much to do," he mentions.

While the quiet getaway gave them a chance to recharge, Ryan admits the trip also left them daydreaming about a future family vacation.

"We enjoyed doing it without the kids," he says with a laugh. "But we left thinking, 'We’ve got to bring the kids back here because this is amazing.'"