Pittsburgh Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick had his worst professional season in 2023, and also his most frustrating one. He dealt with a series of injuries throughout the year, compounded by his task of playing out of ideal position. But you’ll never hear that from him, says defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, even if it’s transparently true.
Otherwise a perennial All-Pro, Minkah Fitzpatrick played in just 10 games last year, missing time in others due to injury. He recorded 64 tackles and managed just three passes defensed with no interceptions or forced fumbles. These numbers are greatly at odds with his usual production though he somehow still made the Pro Bowl. Either way, he is one of the best safeties in the game.
“You would have to ask Minkah, because you’re right, he would never admit it”, Austin said when asked how injuries affected Fitzpatrick’s performance last season, via transcript provided by the Steelers’ media relations department. “I think when you admit those things, it’s like giving yourself an out.
“That’s not his nature. That is not that guy. That guy’s too competitive to do that. He’s just, ‘Hey, just didn’t play and just didn’t happen the way he wanted it to last year’. So I assume he’s going to have a heck of a year this year”.
Just a year earlier, Minkah Fitzpatrick shared the league lead with a career-high six interceptions. He finished as a first-team All-Pro once again, and deservedly so, with expectations of more of the same. Due to changes in the lineup, the Steelers asked Fitzpatrick to play more in the box last year though. And then injuries began to mount, Fitzpatrick playing hurt one way or another most of the season. But he’s good now, and Austin plans to take full advantage of it.
“I like to have Minkah in the back, and Minkah can stay in the back and do what Minkah does best, which is get after that ball and make big plays”, he said. “And really, Minkah saves us a lot of times when there’s big plays that break out, he knocks those things down. And so it allows him to play a position that is probably a little bit more natural for him”.
Even Fitzpatrick this offseason admitted that he hopes to get back to playing “Minkah ball”, and that includes playing deep. Playing the deep-safety role may also help to keep him healthy, which the Steelers need him to be. Although they actually almost always win when he doesn’t play, don’t let that correlation lead you astray.
This offseason, the Steelers added DeShon Elliott at strong safety, hoping to find a steady dance partner for Fitzpatrick. That duo will make its debut on Sunday when the Steelers visit the Atlanta Falcons. One hopes that we get to see some “Minkah ball” right off the bat, because we didn’t see much last year.
