This off-season, one of the highest things on the Pittsburgh Steelers priority list was finding a way to extend FS Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Steelers and Fitzpatrick got the deal done back in June 2022 and the All-Pro safety agreed to a massive $73 million extension over four years.
Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick celebrates after recovering a fumble against the Tennessee Titans on December 19, 2021. CREDIT | Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
Fitzpatrick said in an interview with Steelers' reporter Mike Prisuta the day after signing his extension:
“Yeah, Pittsburgh is a great, great organization. I’ve had a lot of success the last few years, still learning, still growing. I’m comfortable, but also challenged at the same time with being here. And I think it’s a healthy environment for myself and my family, for our future. So we just wanted to get it done when we get it done before camp, knock it out the way. So there was no interference in that sense in preparation. We’re happy, we’re blessed. We’re fortunate to have gotten it done when we did, and now we’re just ready to handle business.”
We're happy to have Fitzpatrick in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future, that's for sure! In an article released Saturday, ESPN listed the Steelers defensive playmaker as the second best safety in the league, behind Denver Broncos safety, Justin Simmons. In the article, Jeremy Fowler notes that ESPN "surveyed more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players to help us stack the top 10 players at 11 different positions." Today's position was safety, and this is what the article stated about Fitzpatrick:
Highest ranking: 1 | Lowest ranking: 6Age: 25 | Last year's ranking: 1
Fitzpatrick is the NFL's highest-paid safety for a reason -- he's a franchise pillar for the Steelers. Over four seasons, Fitzpatrick has 37 pass deflections, 13 interceptions, 350 tackles and two first-team All Pro nods.
"Above the neck game -- he can play strong and free safety and has range," an NFC exec said. "Started for Miami as an outside corner as a rookie. How many safeties can handle that?"
Pro Football Focus was not kind to Fitzpatrick, giving him a 59.8 overall 2021 player grade, and NFL Next Gen Stats tracked 25 receptions against on 43 targets as the nearest defender. But Fitzpatrick did lead all defensive backs with 124 tackles.
Fitzpatrick narrowly beat Simmons in last year's voting, but he was coming off two seasons of high-level ball production. Numbers don't tell the whole story this year, but Fitzpatrick finished last season with two interceptions and eight passes defended -- down from four and 11, respectively, in 2020.
"Minkah is the leader of the entire secondary -- he controls all the checks, all the calls, controls everything," an AFC defensive coach said. "Here's the catch: He can play man-to-man, but he's not elite at it. He can blitz, but he's not elite at it."
Oct 10, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (39) in run coverage against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 27-19. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The only two reasons that I can pinpoint for Fitzpatrick not being listed over Simmons are the interception numbers and the fact that Fitzpatrick had to play more downhill in 2021, due to the Steelers' inability to stop opposing offenses' rushing attacks up front.
Opposing quarterback's fear him and he makes them hesitate to make throws like a Pro Football Hall of Fame safety used to, just ask ESPN analyst, Dan Orlovsky!
“It forces hesitation and then it catches up to you later in the game. It’s very Ed Reed like when it comes to that position. I think that’s what he really brings as a secondary, as a safety player and why that Steelers defense has gotten so much better since he got there.”
Since acquiring Fitzpatrick in a mid-September trade, the Steelers have won seven of 10 games. The safety has eight of the team’s league-leading 28 takeaways, and two touchdowns, over that span.Credit...Keith Srakocic/Associated Press
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