As communication and execution issues have been rather apparent for the Pittsburgh Steelers defensively throughout the three-game losing streak they find themselves stuck in, some in-fighting and bickering have occurred on that side of the football.
Guys like safety DeShon Elliott, linebacker Patrick Queen, and even team captain Cameron Heyward have had some pointed comments in recent days about the struggles defensively.
That’s led to some speculation that the players guys like Queen and Elliott were talking about was standout veteran safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin wouldn’t hear any of it on Wednesday during his session with the media, though, calling Fitzpatrick a steady performer and the glue who holds the defense together, particularly on the back end.
“Well, I think he balances that fine because I think Minkah is a good leader. He’s a good communicator. And so, when different guys are in there, he’ll know maybe which guys maybe need some help and which guys maybe need a little extra communication, a little extra direction, and which guys may not need it,” Austin said, according to the official transcript provided by the team. “And so, I think he’s good that way, and I don’t think that bothers him. I think a lot of times what happens is you get used to playing with certain guys and certain things that they do. So those that’ll be some nuances of the game.
“But other than that, I think he’s done a great job in terms of that, and I don’t think the moving parts bothers him. I think I’m glad we have him because he’s a steady performer back there for us. And he’s kind of the glue that keeps things together when things do get a little frazzled. He’s a guy that can keep things together.”
Throughout much of the early part of the season, Fitzpatrick was the key glue guy who held things together for the Black and Gold, particularly as the new faces in the secondary adjusted and got used to playing together. Early in the season, the Steelers’ secondary was quite good, limiting the big plays, creating turnovers and really keeping a lid on things overall as the defense was one of the best in the league.
Injuries and ineffective play have hit the secondary, and in the process Fitzpatrick has had to move around a bit and change up his role some. He hasn’t been as impactful as many hoped he would be. While he had an interception in Week 16 against the Baltimore Ravens, ending a long takeaway drought, he’s been part of some of those communication issues in recent weeks, though it doesn’t appear he’s solely at fault.
Fitzpatrick has been rather frustrated lately, not wanting to speak to the media, and when has, he has been rather short and standoffish. The last few months have been a struggle for the Steelers’ defensively, especially with injuries in the secondary, forcing new faces onto the field. Fitzpatrick has had to handle quite a bit from a communication aspect.
It hasn’t always gone smoothly, but his work hasn’t gone unnoticed by the coaching staff. Though he’s not forcing turnovers at a Hall of Fame rate like he was after joining the Steelers, Fitzpatrick remains the eraser on the back end and covers up a lot for the defense, in the process of holding things together when times get tough, like they are right now.
