Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is one of the best in the game at his position, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still room for improvement. Fitzpatrick talked to reporters after Pittsburgh’s OTA session today about the need to improve his football IQ to help him make more plays.
“I wanted to become more advanced in my IQ, in the understanding of the game. I’ve been sitting down a lot and breaking down a lot of film with different coaches, whether it be the linebacker coach, or GA [Gerald Alexander], our assistant DB coach,” Fitzpatrick said via video posted to Steelers.com. “I like to be in the right position, but I also don’t wanna be a robot and I don’t want the quarterback to know where I’m at. I want to be able to make plays that are made from my IQ.”
Fitzpatrick’s IQ has already been praised, with Mike Tomlin likening it to that of Hall of Fame cornerback Ronde Barber, whom he coached in Tampa Bay. But Fitzpatrick clearly sees room to grow in that aspect of his game, and utilizing various coaches to help him see the game from different perspectives is smart. Alexander joined Pittsburgh’s staff last season and he’s seemingly a valuable tool for Fitzpatrick, while he’s also utilizing help from linebackers coaches, either Aaron Curry or Denzel Martin, to help him see the game from that side of things.
With a lot of safeties playing more in the box, Fitzpatrick could be looking to expand his repertoire and also be able to help Pittsburgh out as a box safety, hence why he’s working with linebackers coaches. But either way, seeing the game from another angle and learning different perspectives is going to help his IQ.
Fitzpatrick is someone who’s had great coaching his entire football career, going from Nick Saban at Alabama to Brian Flores with the Dolphins and now Tomlin and a defensive coaching staff led by Teryl Austin. That’s something that obviously not only helps him be a productive football player but also helps his IQ. He’s learning from some of the best minds in the game to help him develop and pick apart film and opponents.
If Fitzpatrick’s IQ continues to increase, there’s no telling how productive he can be. A healthy and productive Fitzpatrick is a key to a strong Pittsburgh defense, and if he expands mentally it’ll help him and Pittsburgh a whole lot on the field. Entering the sixth year of his career, Fitzpatrick is right around his prime and has plenty of good football ahead of him. He’s only getting better and will be a key cog in Pittsburgh’s secondary for years to come.
