Steelers' Minkah Fitzpatrick Is More Motivated Than Ever After Poor Performance In 2023

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a tumultuous 2023 season while their defense was consistently being picked apart by injuries. There were multiple occasions where Pittsburgh had to resort to bringing players up off of the practice squad, just to field a competitive defense. One player that went through a couple battles with injury was All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. He was only able to play in 11 games throughout the season, including the postseason matchup with the Buffalo Bills.

Fitzpatrick struggled to get going in 2023, and once he was injured, it felt as though he never returned to 100 percent when he came back. It was the first time in his NFL career that he failed to record an interception during a season. The campaign ended with a loss in Buffalo during the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, which Fitzpatrick struggled in. Brian Batko, an insider for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, shared that this poor performance is still living in the back of Fitzpatrick's mind - which will motivate him even more.

"But Fitzpatrick is coming off of what I would call one of the worst games of his NFL career. The playoff loss to the Bills was his first after missing a few weeks because of a knee injury, and he didn’t look like himself, be it positioning, finishing, everything. He’s not one to say much about anything, especially an injury, but the way he approaches the game, that night in Orchard Park might leave him more motivated than ever."

The Steelers fell to the Bills by a score of 31-17, and the game was never really close. The Steelers were without their best defender in TJ Watt, Joey Porter Jr. left the game early with a concussion, and both Fitzpatrick and Cam Heyward weren't 100 percent healthy. Buffalo's offense didn't struggle with Pittsburgh's defense at all. 

Fitzpatrick led the Steelers in tackles during the game, but missed out on a few opportunities during the contest. Bills quarterback Josh Allen scrambled for a 52-yard touchdown, and he was able to thrash Pittsburgh's defense, throwing for three touchdowns through the air as well. 

This will be on Fitzpatrick's mind going into the 2024 season, as he looks to bounce back. Fitzpatrick will be looking to get through the season healthy, and perform well alongside Pittsburgh's new defensive additions. General Manager Omar Khan did a good job strengthening the cornerback position by adding Donte Jackson, while also acquiring linebackers who can be serviceable in coverage like Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson.

These additions will allow Fitzpatrick to get back to playing his style of football. While the Steelers were bringing up practice squad players to start at linebacker or in the secondary, Fitzpatrick was unable to play his own brand of football because he had to make up for the below-average starters Pittsburgh had on the field. The safety should be able to return to his All-Pro self during the 2024 season.

Steelers Will Allow Fitzpatrick To Play "Minkah-Ball" In 2024

Fitzpatrick is at his best when he is able to act as the center-fielder of the defense. Last year, he wasn't able to take on this role, but a guy like Jackson will free him up. Jackson is faster than a lot of the corners that Pittsburgh has had in recent memory; he is able to make up space and cover ground quick. This allows Fitzpatrick to play more towards the center of the field, read the quarterback, and diagnose what the offense is doing much better. This is what he was able to do when he first came to Pittsburgh back in 2019, which was one of his better seasons at the NFL level.

Fans will be watching Fitzpatrick closely once the regular season kicks off. He has had a relatively quiet training camp and preseason, but everyone knows he will be able to turn it on once the games matter.

What do you think about Fitzpatrick's chip on his shoulder? Let us know in the comments below!

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