Whether it’s a sign of respect or a measure of memory, the Pittsburgh Steelers couldn’t help but profess their admiration for Minkah Fitzpatrick only six months after trading him to the Miami Dolphins.
The Steelers surely remember that Fitzpatrick had two interceptions in his first game against the Dolphins — on “Monday Night Football,” no less — just six weeks after he was acquired from Miami for a 2020 first-round draft pick.
“Any game, if I ever have two picks, is going to put a big smile on my face after the game, know what I’m saying?” Fitzpatrick said after the 27-14 win Oct. 28, 2019. “It is my former team and former teammates, but I have all the respect in the world for them — and it’s the NFL game. If I had the two picks next week or last week, it’s still going to add a big smile on my face.”
So, forgive everyone involved for not taking Fitzpatrick at face value for his dismissive response about playing his former team when the Dolphins (6-7) visit the Steelers (7-6) at 8:15 p.m. Monday at Acrisure Stadium.
“The only reason why it’s a big week this week is because we’ve got a game,” Fitzpatrick said last week, “and we’ve got to win it.”
Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, for one, cast doubt that Fitzpatrick doesn’t have a degree of personal motivation to beat the team for which he was a three-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl pick.
“I know deep inside, regardless of what he says, it would mean a lot if we could walk off that field with a win,” Weaver said, per The Palm Beach Post. “And I know he’s going to do everything possible within the scheme to protect his teammates and try to get that done. Yeah, they all count the same, but some mean more.”
Dealt to the Dolphins for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith, Fitzpatrick has recorded 76 tackles, an interception, two fumble recoveries and six passes defensed in 13 games while playing free safety and nickel cornerback.
“Minkah is an absolute stud and, quite frankly, I don’t even know where we’d be at this point as a defense without him just because of some of the injuries we’ve had, particularly in the back end,” Weaver said. “I love him and I’m extremely fortunate that we have him.”
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Fitzpatrick’s versatility has been “significant” in helping the Dolphins’ defense, given that they have more depth at safety than corner.
“Minkah’s versatility has been an asset to them,” Tomlin said. “He’s done an awesome job as a guy that plays closer to the line of scrimmage in the nickel position, a guy that blitzes. Certainly, in base (defense), he plays free safety and is a hub of communication and center fielder for them back there.”
Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith expressed his respect for Fitzpatrick, calling him a “challenge” because of his ability to play in the slot on third down. And Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin called Fitzpatrick “one of my favorite guys.”
“He’s really smart, really tough, got a nose for the ball, makes the guys around him better, really good communicator. You can’t say enough good things about him,” Austin said. “It’s what kind of sets those guys apart. He’s been a Pro Bowl player for so many years and done the things he’s done for so many years.”
Fitzpatrick didn’t hide his displeasure with the Steelers’ defense, or his role in it. In November 2023, while sidelined with a hamstring injury, he argued with Austin and forced the Steelers to call a timeout and change their formation for the final play against the Green Bay Packers, resulting in Damontae Kazee’s game-clinching interception.
Fitzpatrick was critical of the communication on defense last season, when they deployed him deep to prevent deep passes. That limited his playmaking ability, and he had just one interception over his last two seasons before snapping the 25-game streak without a pick in the regular season finale against Baltimore last year.
“There were too many instances where one guy thought one thing and another thought another,” Fitzpatrick said last spring. “We weren’t on the same page, and it led to a big play. That was one of the larger things.”
Even so, Austin couldn’t stop singing Fitzpatrick’s praises, given that the Steelers were forced to switch Ramsey to safety because of a knee injury to DeShon Elliott.
“Shoot, I wish that guy the best because he was always great when he was here,” Austin said of Fitzpatrick. “He was always great when he was here as a human — forget football player, just as a human. So I root for guys like Minkah … except for this week.”