Pittsburgh Steelers’ fans are searching for answers about how FS Minkah Fitzpatrick seemingly found himself as a defensive pillar one day and was traded the next. There’s no question he was coming off his worst non-injury-related season, picking off one pass in 17 starts and not making dynamic plays he consistently provided from 2019-2022. Given last year’s mess of a finish, some beat writers have pointed to communication breakdowns as the reason why Fitzpatrick was dealt today to the Miami Dolphins. But linebacker Patrick Queen is rebuking the narrative, tweeting that Fitzpatrick wasn’t playing out of position last season.
He offered a simple “No” when one user brought the question up to him.
Queen also wished Fitzpatrick well, praising him for raising the standard and wishing Fitzpatrick well in his return to Miami.
Of course, it’s doubtful Queen would blast Fitzpatrick if his performance was an issue. And no Steeler should be absolved for the repeated defensive mistakes that contributed to the team’s 2024 collapse, losing its final five games to be bounced in the Wild Card round again. But Patrick Queen didn’t need to go out of his way either to address the issue, and if he thought Fitzpatrick played a role in the team’s miscues, he could’ve ignored the question. Instead, he went out of his way to answer it.
During spring practices, Fitzpatrick also stressed the need for better communication and, in a twist of irony, said any player who didn’t would exit. Ultimately, Fitzpatrick became the first to go.
Ultimately, the Steelers may have traded Fitzpatrick because they believed he was no longer the playmaker of several seasons ago. The chance to upgrade at corner and tight end by adding Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith was an opportunity the team wasn’t willing to pass up, especially since, as Dave Bryan pointed out, it didn’t require the team to trade any 2026 draft capital.
No matter how the defense looks once the starting 11 takes the field on September 7 versus the New York Jets, the group must be on the same page. With plenty of turnover and new faces, and potentially more on the way (will Pittsburgh add to help replace Fitzpatrick’s free safety role?), there isn’t time to waste.
