The Pittsburgh Steelers defense has All-Pro caliber talent at almost every level, and on the back end, S Minkah Fitzpatrick is one of its anchors. In an attempt to keep him playing more of a traditional deep safety role, the Steelers added DeShon Elliott this offseason, and Elliott had high praise for his safety partner. He told Richie Walsh of KDKA that Fitzpatrick is “gonna be a gold jacket” at the end of his career.
“Seeing the championship pedigree, this defense, knowing we have gold jackets on defense, and playing with Minkah who is gonna be a gold jacket, obviously. So I know that I can complement him with the best things he do on the field, which I mean, he can do everything. But I think that the best thing that he does is getting the ball. So I’m just here to try my best to do everything else that’ll make his job a lot easier,” Elliott said on Steelers Training Camp All-Access.
Fitzpatrick has already been a first-team All-Pro three times. While last season was a down year — he didn’t generate any turnovers — he should be back playing at his best as he’ll be in the slot and the box less with the addition of Elliott. As Elliott said, his role with the Steelers is to help make Fitzpatrick’s job easier and help him go back to getting the ball and forcing turnovers. If he can help Fitzpatrick do that, then Fitzpatrick’s Hall of Fame odds are going to increase.
Elliott is a good player in his own right, and he could get some work in the slot for the Steelers, especially early in the season with Cameron Sutton suspended eight games. But he’s a player who can get downhill and is still solid in coverage, and he’ll be the best safety partner Fitzpatrick has had in a long time.
It won’t be easy for all of them to get in, but between Fitzpatrick, T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward, the Steelers have three potential future Hall of Famers on the roster. The next step for all three is some meaningful playoff success, and with the roster Pittsburgh has this season, with additions like Elliott, this could finally be the year the Steelers win a playoff game. It’s been a long time coming. Neither Watt nor Fitzpatrick have won in the playoffs since joining the Steelers, but postseason success is only going to make their Hall of Fame cases that much easier.
