Following a rather impressive 2022 season, the individual accolades continue to roll in for Pittsburgh Steelers star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
One week after being voted an Associated Press All-Pro and an NFLPA All-Pro, Fitzpatrick added the Pro Football Writers Association’s All-NFL honor to his growing list of individual accolades that has him on a Hall of Fame trajectory.
Fitzpatrick was the lone member of the Steelers to earn PFWA All-NFL honors Monday, joining San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga at safety on the All-NFL list. It is the third time in his career Fitzpatrick has been voted All-NFL by the PFWA, doing so in 2019 and 2020 previously.
The Steelers’ star safety finished the 2022 season with 96 tackles, six interceptions and one defensive touchdown, helping the Steelers go 9-8 on the season. Fitzpatrick also earned the Steelers’ Team MVP award for 2022, finishing the season with an 82.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus on the season.
Fitzpatrick was also voted the Steelers’ Defensive MVP from the Steelers Depot staff.Â
Along with Fitzpatrick’s individual accolade from the PFWA, third-year outside linebacker Alex Highsmith earned All-AFC honors Monday.
Highsmith joined New England’s Matthew Judon on the All-AFC defense at outside linebacker, tying with Buffalo Bills’ defender Matt Milano.
The former third-round pick had a breakout season in 2022, finishing with a career-high 14.5 sacks and led the NFL with five forced fumbles on the year. Though he had a breakout season, Highsmith did not earn a trip to the Pro Bowl. He does find himself in line for a large extension from the Steelers this offseason, should they choose to pay their homegrown product opposite reigning Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt.
