‘I’m not worried about Minkah’: Steelers insider believes Minkah Fitzpatrick will generate turnovers

Before the start of the 2024 season, it was expected that star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick could return to his ball-selling game with all new defensive pieces, without all the other duties that were placed on him.

As Fitzpatrick said in the offseason, it’s time to play “Minkah Ball” again.

So far this season, Fitzpatrick has not had a forced turnover in the first four games of the season, continuing what happened in the 2023 season, although this has been an injury-riddled season for the star safety.

However, he’s doing well this year, so the lack of production on the star-studded All-Pro Safety Team defense is starting to be concerning to many.

According to Steelers reporter Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, it’s not time to be upset about Fitzpatrick’s lack of splash plays because teams simply aren’t testing him as much.

Appearing on 93.7 The Fan Joe Show Friday afternoon, Fittipaldo defended Fitzpatrick’s start to the season, emphasizing that teams simply don’t attack him as often, which doesn’t give him many opportunities to make game-winning plays.

“I don’t want to sit here and tell you that I’m protective of Minkah too, but it seems, Joe (Starkey), that opposing offensive coordinators like to stay away from him. Eleven goals in four games, so you’re talking about two or three goals per game. I’m not going to get upset about teams being so successful in a small sample size. The lack of turnovers is certainly frustrating for him,” Fittipaldo said of Fitzpatrick, according to audio from 93.7 The Fan. “I’m sure it’s frustrating for the Steelers who are paying him 17, 18 million a year to be such an impactful player on their defense and they’re not getting those results.” But I do believe it is comes. They play defense a certain way. They don’t take many risks.

“You kind of let things happen to you. I’m not worried about Minkah. He is a cultural worker in this building. He’s one of their guys after Cam Heyward moves on, it’ll be TJ and Minkah. They won’t get rid of him. I just think his time will come and these turnovers will come at some point.”

It’s a level-headed, understandable interpretation of Fittipaldo that many others need to do when it comes to the context of Fitzpatrick and his playing.

Although Fittipaldo called 11 goals in the first four games of the season with Fitzpatrick in coverage, there are actually eight goals in coverage, according to Pro Football Focus.

In those eight targets, he has allowed six receptions for 65 yards, although PFF has charged him with one touchdown allowed, which came in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers, which was Quentin Johnston’s 27-yard touchdown to open the game which appeared to be on cornerback Joey Porter Jr. but surprisingly Fitzpatrick was charged.

So in those four games, he allowed one reception for eight yards against Atlanta, two receptions for 15 yards against Denver, two receptions for 30 yards and a score against the Chargers, and one reception for 12 yards against the Colts.

Not exactly a sign that a man is in trouble again.

As Fittipaldo said, the sales will come. However, teams just don’t really challenge him, which deprives him of those opportunities. Remember how Arthur Smith and the Steelers avoided midfield in Week 1 against Atlanta due to the presence of Jessie Bates?

That’s what teams largely do with Fitzpatrick, getting out of his way as much as possible in the passing game so he can’t make game-winning plays. However, it’s up to defensive coordinator Teryl Austin to move him around, disguise coverages better and give Fitzpatrick the opportunity to make game-changing plays.

He did well even without losing the ball. He remains a great safety, period. No time to panic; The impact plays will come. And if not? Others will have to step up as teams actively avoid Fitzpatrick. This is football.