Following Pittsburgh’s 21-18 home loss last Thursday to the New England Patriots, S Minkah Fitzpatrick generated national headlines by calling out his teammates and their play in recent weeks. Fitzpatrick told the media that the Steelers have some guys thinking they can walk out there and make plays rather than toiling for the fruit of the labor. The three-time Pro Bowler added that he doesn’t think some members of the team want to toil for it, hence why the Steelers are in their current position after losing two straight games to below-.500 teams at home.
Fitzpatrick’s comments have popped up in recent days as head coach Mike Tomlin was asked about his player’s remarks during his weekly press conference on Monday. Rookie OL Spencer Anderson was also asked about Fitzpatrick’s remarks while appearing as a guest on the Protect The Shell Podcast, hosted by former Steelers OL Derwin Gray. Gray stated that he wasn’t pleased with Fitzpatrick calling out his teammates in front of the media, potentially causing some animosity in the locker room. Anderson said that Fitzpatrick’s comments haven’t been a big deal and that due to his nature, it’s a message that Pittsburgh has received well.
“You know Mink, he’s kinda a quiet guy,” Anderson said on the Protect The Shell Podcast. “He’s quiet and we respect him because he’s a leader of our team and he’s one of those guys that whenever he speaks because he’s quiet, we kinda take heed to what he’s saying. I’ll be honest, nobody really talks about it. We respect Mink for his opinion because, you know, proven guy in this league. Obviously he doesn’t say much, so when he got something to say, he could be a little right. None of us really take any offense to it.”
Fitzpatrick is widely recognized as one of the bedrock players of the Steelers, along with OLB T.J. Watt and DL Cameron Heyward. He’s a mild-mannered guy who is soft-spoken off the field but plays with a relentless fire on it. He isn’t normally one to throw teammates under the bus, making last Thursday’s comments a bit of an anomaly for the three-time All-Pro.
Fitzpatrick was obviously frustrated with Pittsburgh’s play last Thursday, and probably how the last several performances have gone with Pittsburgh losing three of its last four games. A lot of Pittsburgh’s problems have been self-inflicted. They include a lack of execution from players, pre-snap penalties, and an overall lack of focus from a team that appears to be sleepwalking into games without a sense of urgency as it fights for a playoff spot.
Fitzpatrick didn’t specifically call out any of his teammates, but rather provided a general statement that the players must be willing to work for what they get, not thinking it’s going to be handed to them on a silver platter. Anderson understands the point that Fitzpatrick was trying to get across, stating that it was well-received in the locker room and that it hasn’t become a topic of controversy among the players.
Ultimately, Fitzpatrick’s comments weren’t meant to tear down his fellow teammates, but rather push them to work for better results on the field. Gray and other members of the media may try to frame what he said with a negative light, but Anderson sees his teammate’s remarks for what they are: a sentiment that the Steelers must play harder on a more consistent basis to reap the fruits of their labor and win meaningful games here down the stretch.
