The acquisition of former Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick ranks high on the list of best trades that the Pittsburgh Steelers have made in recent years. Despite having a depleted roster for the majority of the 2019 season, the former Alabama Crimson Tide eventually became a bright spot for the team.
The Miami Dolphins wanted to use him exclusively at strong safety but Fitzpatrick felt that he could do more beyond the position. He further elaborated on the instances that ultimately led to his departure from Miami:
“I was working the hand-fighting drills against the tight ends and working on hitting the bags and stuff like that. That’s fine and dandy, but that wasn’t my skill set”, Fitzpatrick told Tyler Dunne of Bleacher Report.
“We had a difference of opinion in my skill set and what he thought I could do and what I thought I could do”, he summed up his final months in Miami. “It was going to get tough for me to show something to somebody they were choosing not to see”.
“They didn’t give me the opportunity to show it, even though I had film that showed it”, he went on. “The losing and all that stuff? If I was put in the right position and we’re losing—because of decisions people made upstairs—it is what it is. I can only control how I play. That didn’t affect me at all”.
After being a first-round draft pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Minkah Fitzpatrick quickly showcased his wares in the pro leagues. On September 16, 2019, the Dolphins traded him along with their 2020 fourth-round and 2021 seventh-round draft picks to the Steelers for their 2020 first-round, 2020 fifth-round, and 2021 sixth-round draft picks. Last season served as a breakout campaign for Fitzpatrick, as he bagged a first-team All-Pro inclusion along with his first Pro Bowl appearance.
With a more complete cast this time around, the Steelers aim to make more noise in the AFC North division and eventually march into the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
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