The Pittsburgh Steelers and their fans have seen some concerns about their star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. He was a splash play machine early in his tenure in Pittsburgh, but he has just one interception and one forced fumble total during the previous two seasons. It doesn't help that he allowed a career-high completion percentage and passing yards against in 2024. The Steelers were talking about getting him back to playing "Minkah Ball," but that has not happened, even with the additions that the team has made at linebacker and safety to help him out.
During his weekly Q&A chat, insider Brian Batko was asked about Fitzpatrick's decline. He gave a very concerning answer, but he still mentions the things he does well.
"I'd say the game has passed him by the way he used to play it," explained Batko. "Skeptical that he still has that first step and burst to execute what his instincts tell him. But he can be a sure tackler and utilize his football IQ."
To be a true ball-hawking deep zone safety, you have to be able to read the play, figure out where the ball is going, and jump it. The Steelers have not seen that from Fitzpatrick lately. His one interception over the last two years came off of a horrible throw by Lamar Jackson, as opposed to a great read and quick first step.
Even with career-worsts in nearly every statistical category, Fitzpatrick is still seen as a threat when playing centerfield, which leads to a lack of pass attempts going in his general direction. The question is if that's because he is still a great coverage safety or if it's just a reputation thing. Time will likely tell on that front.
Batko brings up the fact that Fitzpatrick is still a very smart player and that he is a great tackler. Despite having 96 total tackles, he had a career-low number of missed tackles with just four. His tackling form was a weakness for him early on in his career, but he started wrapping ball-carriers up more as opposed to just trying to hit hard, and that has led to major improvements in that regard.
Fitzpatrick also figured out the defensive issues of the team early on in the season, even if his head coach didn't see it that way. Communication is key, especially for a unit that attempts to give different looks like the Steelers do. However, the defense had issues with communication all season long, and that was part of the reason that they stumbled.
Steelers Have Fitzpatrick's Doppelganger Already On The Team
Fitzpatrick may be on the decline and not the same ball-hawking safety he once was, but his tackling ability and football IQ are still traits that teams want. He was hyped up as a very versatile defensive back that can play all over the place. His skill set seems to be more like his new partner in the back end.
His style of play is more like DeShon Elliott's. In his first year in Pittsburgh, Elliott had 108 tackles with just one interception. He was still solid in pass coverage, but his elite tackling and hard-hitting ability made him a fan favorite for Steeler Nation. Not only did he tackle players a lot, but he was the most efficient tackler in the history of that stat.
