Steelers DC takes the blame for regression of All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick last season
Minkah Fitzpatrick, when healthy and aligned appropriately, is the best pure safety in the NFL. Coming off a season where he was both injured and asked to play a variety of roles, Minkah just wants to get back to what he calls "Minkah Ball." According to Steelers DC Teryl Austin, that starts with him allowing […]
Minkah Fitzpatrick, when healthy and aligned appropriately, is the best pure safety in the NFL.
Coming off a season where he was both injured and asked to play a variety of roles, Minkah just wants to get back to what he calls "Minkah Ball."
According to Steelers DC Teryl Austin, that starts with him allowing Minkah to do that, which he mitigated in 2023:
Austin takes the blame regarding Minkah's regression
"Our job is to try to get all of our guys in the best position as possible so they can play as well as they can and play up to their abilities," DC Teryl Austin told reporters on Wednesday. "And so last year I probably failed in that regard. We tried to have him do too much stuff, and I think I'm going to get back to really what makes him special."
When Austin says he made Minkah do too much, he's referring to his alignment. In 2022, Minkah was a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler thanks to a career-high six interceptions and 96 tackles.
That was primarily due to Minkah's ability to play centerfielder, where he can roam in between the hashes, make plays on the ball, and rally downhill. But between personnel issues and injury concerns around the secondary, Minkah (alongside his own injuries) had the worst statistical season of his career.
Fitzpatrick was tasked with playing a career-high in snaps when aligned in the box and as a pass rusher, while also seeing an increase in his reps at the slot corner or nickel position.
And while I fully believe that Minkah could align anywhere and everywhere and thrive when healthy, that's not what he's best at. As Bruce Lee said, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”
Offenses fear when Minakh is at the top of the Christmas tree.
He has mastered the free safety position, and at 27 years old, if he can endure his prime with seasons similar to 2022, he will have a shrine in Canton one day. But it all starts with "Minkah ball."
“Just let me play ball,” Fitzpatrick said at OTAs last week. “That’s it. Minkah ball…
'…As many great players as you could get in the field is going to help Minkah play Minkah ball."
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