Minkah Fitzpatrick is coming off an injury-plagued 2023 season that was a rarity for him, as he didn’t force any turnovers in the ten games he played. With new faces on defense, Fitzpatrick wants to play “Minkah ball” to get back to forcing turnovers and being the All-Pro player he’s capable of being.
“Just let me play ball. That’s it. Minkah ball,” Fitzpatrick said when asked what the team can do to put him in position to create turnovers.
Fitzpatrick said adding guys like Patrick Queen and great players on defense, in general, will help him do that. “As many great players as you can get on the field is gonna help Minkah play Minkah ball,” he said via Steelers Live on Twitter.
Van Jefferson, Cam Sutton, and Minkah Fitzpatrick spoke to the media after practice: pic.twitter.com/bS5lSQ5zAO
— Steelers Live (@SteelersLive) June 5, 2024
That’s a quote you love to hear, and there’s little doubt that Fitzpatrick is motivated to return to form in 2024. Obviously, adding someone like Queen, who can play sideline to sideline and excels in coverage as a linebacker, helps take some responsibility off Fitzpatrick’s plate and should make life easier for him to force turnovers and make plays.
Last season, due to a myriad of injuries at linebacker, Fitzpatrick often had to line up in the slot and cover tight ends more often than usual. He played 134 snaps in the slot last season, the second-highest total in his career in just 10 games. His career-high came during his rookie season with the Miami Dolphins when the Dolphins wanted to use him as a slot corner, and he logged 379 slot snaps that season. His 134 slot snaps last season limited his ability to roam, make splash plays, and create turnovers.
With Queen able to cover tight ends and the Steelers adding Cameron Sutton today, ideally, Fitzpatrick can play more of a traditional safety role and get back to being the playmaker that he has been for most of his Steelers tenure. The Steelers also added DeShon Elliott in free agency to partner with Fitzpatrick at safety, and Elliott’s addition should also free up Fitzpatrick to play “Minkah ball.”
The team’s offseason additions should certainly benefit Fitzpatrick, and it would be a major surprise if he went another year without forcing a single turnover. With the moves the team made, Fitzpatrick should be able to get back to an All-Pro level, provided he stays healthy and the defense stays healthy around him. We should see lots of Minkah Ball in 2024.
