It’s so nice you should hear it twice. After telling reporters following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ win over the Baltimore Ravens that he would play in a potential playoff game, FS Minkah Fitzpatrick reiterated he’s suiting up for Sunday’s AFC Wild Card matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
Per Steelers.com’s Teresa Varley, Fitzpatrick confirmed he will play this weekend.
It’s news that’s been expected but important to confirm as the team hit the practice field yesterday. For the first time since his Week 15 knee injury, Fitzpatrick practiced in full yesterday. It’s a big boost to the Steelers’ secondary and for a defense playing without T.J. Watt, ruled out with a knee injury suffered in the Week 18 finale against the Ravens. Fitzpatrick was also spotted on the practice field without the club on his injured hand, an injury he was playing through.
Per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, Fitzpatrick said he wanted to play against the Ravens but was held out to be “110 percent” ready and healthy.
The Steelers’ safety unit is much healthier and available than it has been over the final month. Damontae Kazee was officially placed on the team’s 53-man roster yesterday, his three-game suspension concluded and eligible to play in the playoffs.
Health has been a problem for Fitzpatrick the latter half of the season, the Pro Bowler missing a month due to a hamstring injury from Weeks 9-12 and missing the team’s final three games due to his knee injury. To put his missed time in perspective, he hasn’t been part of a Steelers win since Week 7 over the Los Angeles Rams. On the season, he had 64 tackles but no turnovers, zero interceptions or forced fumbles, for the first time in his career. His injuries, of course, played a role in that lack of production. Still, he made the fourth Pro Bowl of his career.
Pittsburgh and Buffalo kick off Sunday at 1 PM/EST.
