Just when the Pittsburgh Steelers may have thought that the defensive gang was getting back together with T.J. Watt and Damontae Kazee expected to play on Sunday versus the New Orleans Saints, it doesn't appear that the team will be at full strength. Minkah Fitzpatrick was not on Friday's injury report, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network is reporting that he suffered an appendicitis and will miss the Week 10 contest.
Source: #Steelers star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is expected to miss Sunday’s game because of appendicitis.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 12, 2022
If there is any good news that is related to this, it is that Kazee is expected to return, but the Steelers have been teasing about a dynamic three-safety set with Fitzpatrick, Kazee and Terrell Edmunds and now fans will have to wait to see it.
This is certainly not ideal and an appendicitis isn't something someone recovers from overnight. Fitzpatrick is likely to miss multiple weeks and now, as the team was officially looking like it was getting healthier, another wrench has been thrown into the plans.
Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (#39) lurks in the secondary at Acrisure Stadium in a 2022 regular season game versus the New York Jets. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
The safety has been the team's MVP since Watt went down in Week 1. Elijah Riley has been elevated to the active/inactive roster and could get a jersey on Sunday to help with the depth at the position. Fitzpatrick has 45 tackles, six passed defended, three interceptions and a touchdown scored this season. The depth of Kazee and Riley will help, but it is Tre Norwood that is likely to start in place of the ball-hawking safety. This will be the second game of the season that he has missed.
Wish Fitzpatrick the best of luck in his recovery in the comments below.
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