Steelers Star Making Big Changes to Game

One of the top players for the Steelers in recent memory is Minkah Fitzpatrick. No matter how you slice it, Fitzpatrick is towards the top in terms of production and consistency as a Pittsburgh Steeler, and has been since he joined the team in 2019.

That being said, last season represented a sort of "down" year for the safety, as the ball seemed to be far away from him at all times.

It is certainly debatable whether having a lack of targets in your area as a defensive back is a good thing or not. Darelle Revis had less than 30 career interceptions yet is thought of as one of the best backs of all time due to his ability to cause quarterbacks to throw elsewhere. Fitzpatrick falls somewhere in the middle of this. His one interception last season, and his only in his last two seasons, is a cause for a little concern.

Fitzpatrick is entering a contract year and will need to play at the highest level to prove he deserves a large contract as he enters his age 29 season. Fitzpatrick is one of the veterans of the team despite being under 30, and will need to play well this coming season in order to earn a payday commensurate to his skills.

When asked during the Steelers OTAs about his woes last season and how he wants to address it going forward, Fitzpatrick had a simple answer.

“I just gotta play football,” Fitzpatrick said. “That’s it.”

His coach Gerald Alexander believes that's possible.

"I mean, a lot of that is not necessarily dealing with the chasing of the results, but just how do we continue to master the process that puts him in position to make plays?” Alexander said. “And a lot of that comes with alignments, assignments, being a great communicator, whether it is putting himself or his teammates in positions to have success, or for whenever the opportunity presents itself.

"When those techniques and those opportunities align, that’s when splash plays happen. … It’s really an opportunity just to develop the details that come with the responsibilities that we have that will lead to the results we seek."

While Fitzpatrick does not need to bring down six balls like he did in his league-leading 2022 campaign, it seems the Steelers would like a little more out of him entering a season which is sure to be a turning point for the entire team, not just Fitzpatrick.