Up until this past year, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick had been a very durable player, missing a grand total of three games over his first five NFL seasons.
However, in 2023, Fitzpatrick was sidelined for seven contests due to injuries, and he does not want that to ever happen again.
“It’s part of the game. It was my first year and hopefully my last year where I’ve sat a significant amount of time,” said Fitzpatrick, via Teresa Varley of the Steelers’ official team website. “I just tried to embrace it. I tried to still lean from that position, that stance. Even though I wasn’t playing, there were still ways I was trying to get better, whether it be on the field or off the field.”
Even though he played in just 10 games, Fitzpatrick still managed to make the Pro Bowl after registering 64 tackles and three passes defended.
While he may not have been able to make the impact he wanted on the field, Fitzpatrick made sure to remain engaged to make the best of his situation.
“Whether it’s subtly or in your face, I was trying to take heed of everything that was going on and trying to correct some things that were being talked about,” Fitzpatrick said. “I had the necessary conversations. The reason I recognized I needed to work on it was because I had the opportunity to be still and really see what was going on.”
The 27-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Alabama, was originally selected by the Miami Dolphins with the 11th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft.
He was traded to Pittsburgh just two games in to his sophomore campaign. Since then, Fitzpatrick has gone on to make four trips to the Pro Bowl while earning three First-Team All-Pro selections.
Hopefully, Minkah Fitzpatrick’s health returns to its previous form in 2024.
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