After becoming a familiar presence on the sideline during the first couple of days of NFL Training Camp when it began last Wednesday on Jul. 27, Pittsburgh Steelers star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has been absent from the field over the last few days, dealing with a personal matter that head coach Mike Tomlin gave him a few days to deal with.

However, in the days since, Tomlin has chosen to remain coy on the subject — as is his custom — refusing to reveal Fitzpatrick's timeline to return.

Instead, the longtime headman reiterates that Fitzpatrick has been excused and that the three-time All-Pro selection has his “full support.”

The Steelers obviously can't wait to get Fitzpatrick back, as the 26-year-old is arguably the top player at his position, with 47 career pass deflections, four interceptions, 295 solo tackles, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and four defensive touchdowns since entering the NFL in 2018. In fact, last year, Pittsburgh signed the former No. 11 pick to a four-year, $73.6 million contract that made him the highest-paid safety in league history.

Despite having great size at 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds, Fitzpatrick isn't the most outstanding athlete, relying more on a blend of high-level traits than top-tier athleticism. Nonetheless, his football IQ, technique, work ethic, ball skills and tackling ability have allowed him to dominate, especially in key moments.

With that said, with the Steelers looking to improve upon their 9-8 record from the 2022 season (and make it past the Wild Card round for the first time since 2017), the hope is that he returns sooner rather than later.