The Pittsburgh Steelers have had to make their way without S Minkah Fitzpatrick on the field for the past month. But they haven’t been altogether absent of his contributions by any means. While the obvious notable moment was his suggestion to change the coverage at the end of the Green Bay Packers game that sealed the win, Fitzpatrick essentially called game with an audible, he’s been in the mix all along.
“I’ve been trying to be a little more vocal”, he told reporters yesterday, via the team’s website. “Obviously, I can’t go out there and play and lead by example, but I try to go out there, communicate what I see, whether it’s in practice, in the game, or in the film, just try to communicate as much as I could”.
The veteran safety has been seen consistently donning a headset on the sideline during his recovery from a hamstring injury over the past four games. And he’s constantly been in defensive coordinator Teryl Austin’s hip pocket.
It’s really no surprise that he has been able to contribute in this way, given that his knowledge and intelligence are two of his greatest assets. In his absence on the field, the Steelers have managed to go 3-1, the defense giving up just 58 points, below 15 points per game. They’ve held their last two opponents to under 260 yards of offense.
Veteran DL Cameron Heyward understands the feeling. He, too, was sidelined for an extended period earlier in the season due to a groin injury, and he shared similar experiences as Fitzpatrick patrolling the sideline and trying to help where he can.
“For me it was about being on the headset, hearing what I heard, having conversations”, he said, crediting Fitzpatrick for making the most of it. “I think Minkah’s done a great job. He’s kept guys alert and ready. You look at Trenton Thompson; Trenton’s doing the work, but I think Minkah’s having a say in helping him”.
Thompson, a first-year former undrafted free agent, has been the primary recipient of Fitzpatrick’s lost snaps over the past two weeks. He has three passes defensed during that time and a key interception last week against the Cincinnati Bengals.
But if Fitzpatrick is going to be coaching this week, it will come either on the field or in between defensive possessions, because he is due back from his injury tomorrow against the Arizona Cardinals. It’s the most significant injury he has had thus far in his career.
Truth be told, this hasn’t been a banner year for him, statistically. He recorded just two passes defensed with zero interceptions during the first six-plus games before his injury. He did, however, rack up 54 tackles, which at the time led the team. But for a player who has had four-plus picks in three of his previous four seasons, his current numbers are an anomaly. I’m sure he’s hungry to get some picks of his own rather than merely helping to coach others up to get theirs.
