Honestly, if you've spent any time in the Five Nights at Freddy's community, you know the name Jeremy. But which one? Scott Cawthon loves reusing that name like he’s running out of ink. We have Jeremy the missing child who haunts Bonnie. We have Jeremy the beta tester from Help Wanted who, uh, had a very bad time with a paper slicer.
But the OG? That’s Jeremy Fitzgerald.
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He’s the guy you actually play as in Five Nights at Freddy's 2. He’s the one staring down a hallway at a flickering Withered Foxy while wearing a sweaty, hollowed-out Freddy head just to stay alive. Most people think he’s just a blank slate, a vessel for the player. They’re wrong. Jeremy is arguably the most pivotal human character in the early lore who isn't an Afton.
Why Jeremy Fitzgerald Still Matters in 2026
You’d think a character from a 2014 game would be "solved" by now. Nope.
Jeremy is the center of the most infamous event in the entire franchise: The Bite of '87. For years, fans argued over who did it. Was it Foxy? Was it Mangle? But the bigger question is who got bitten.
The evidence for Jeremy being the victim is basically a mountain at this point.
Look at the timeline. Jeremy works five nights. He’s stressed. He’s breathing heavy in that mask. On Night 6, Phone Guy tells him the place is on lockdown but—and this is the "oops" moment—he needs to work the day shift for one last birthday party.
"Uh, we have one more event scheduled for tomorrow, a birthday. You’ll be on day shift, wear your uniform, stay close to the animatronics, make sure they don’t hurt anyone, okay?"
That's the last we hear of him. In the very next game (chronologically), Phone Guy mentions the Bite of '87 and how the victim survived but lost their frontal lobe. Jeremy was told to stay "close to the animatronics" while they were acting aggressive toward staff. You do the math.
The "Jeremy is Michael Afton" Problem
I've seen this theory pop up every few months like a bad penny. Some people really want Jeremy to be Michael Afton using a fake name.
The logic? Michael likes to use aliases (like Fritz Smith or Mike Schmidt). He’s the "main character," so surely he’s the one we play as in every game, right?
Kinda unlikely.
If Jeremy got his frontal lobe bitten off in 1987, he wouldn't exactly be in peak condition to go punch a clock at the FNaF 1 location a few years later. Medical science in the FNaF universe is weird, sure, but losing the part of your brain that handles personality and decision-making usually puts a damper on your career as a night guard.
Also, Fritz Smith—the guy who replaces Jeremy on Night 7 of FNaF 2—is way more likely to be Michael. Fritz gets fired for "odor" and "tampering with the animatronics." That’s the classic Michael Afton signature move. Jeremy, on the other hand, just gets a paycheck and a one-way ticket to the ER.
The Three Jeremys (Yes, It's Confusing)
Let’s clear this up because it trips up everyone.
- Jeremy (The Missing Kid): One of the original five victims of William Afton. He possesses Bonnie. We see his name on a tombstone in Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator.
- Jeremy Fitzgerald: Our FNaF 2 night guard. Likely the Bite of '87 victim.
- Jeremy (The Beta Tester): From FNaF: Help Wanted. He’s the one who sees Glitchtrap and eventually cuts his own face off to get the "mask" off.
Is there a connection? Probably not a literal one. Scott Cawthon has a habit of using names to create "parallels." Think of it like a cosmic joke. If your name is Jeremy in this universe, your head or face is going to have a very bad day. Bonnie is missing a face. The beta tester cuts off his face. Fitzgerald loses his frontal lobe.
It's a theme. A weird, facial-trauma-themed pattern.
What really happened on that Day Shift?
Imagine being Jeremy. You’ve survived five nights of literal hell. You've dealt with a music box that demands constant winding and a puppet that wants you dead. You’re exhausted.
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Then your boss says, "Hey, can you come in tomorrow? Just stand right next to the robots that have been trying to murder you all week. Wear the purple uniform that makes them think you're the guy who killed those kids. It'll be fine."
It wasn't fine.
Most theorists point to Mangle as the culprit. Look at Mangle's jumpscare—it swings down from the ceiling directly for the forehead. It's the perfect angle for a frontal lobe snack.
Actionable Insights for Lore Hunters
If you're trying to piece together the current state of Jeremy Fitzgerald lore, keep these specific details in mind:
- The Survival Logbook: There's a "faded text" conversation in the FNaF Survival Logbook that many believe is a dialogue between spirits, but some notes seem to reflect Jeremy’s anxiety during his shift.
- The "Remember Jeremy" Achievement: In Help Wanted 2, this achievement pops up. While it mostly refers to the MCI kid, the "face trauma" connection keeps bringing people back to Fitzgerald.
- The Movie Universe: Keep an eye on the casting for the sequel. If we see a Jeremy, check if he's a guard or a kid. It’ll tell us which "timeline" the movies are prioritizing.
Basically, Jeremy Fitzgerald is the ultimate "wrong place, wrong time" guy. He wasn't a hero trying to burn the place down like Michael. He was just a guy who needed $100.50 (plus overtime) and ended up becoming a medical marvel and a piece of dark history.
Don't ignore the paychecks in the games. They're dated November 1987. That’s your anchor. Everything Jeremy did happens in that one-week span before the "New and Improved" Freddy Fazbear's Pizza was scrapped for good.
If you're digging into the files, look for the "Night 6" newspaper clipping. It mentions the Toy animatronics being scrapped but says the original ones are being kept for a "possible reorganization of the company." Jeremy’s injury is the reason the Toy animatronics don't exist in later games. He is the reason they were deemed "unsafe."
Next time you play FNaF 2, maybe give the guy a break. He’s doing his best with a limited power supply and a very poorly designed office.