[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbydbzmnr1bhxef player_id=none image=https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
Our friends over at Touchdown Wire put together their ranking of the top 13 safeties in the NFL for the 2022 season. Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick made the cut. At No. 11.
The Steelers gave Fitzpatrick a new contract this offseason making him the highest-paid safety in the NFL. Nevertheless, the guys at TD Wire didn’t include him in their Top 10.
Here’s what they had to say about their ranking of Fitzpatrick:
The Steelers’ defense was betwixt and between for all kinds of reasons in 2021, but Fitzpatrick still did his thing. He allowed 28 catches on 44 targets for 416 yards, 162 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 90.7. Not the epic season he had in 2020 (nine catches allowed on 20 targets for 130 yards, 22 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, four interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 60.4), but that defense wasn’t what it was in 2020, either, and Fitzpatrick lost time due to a bout with COVID.
After two seasons in Pittsburgh where Fitzpatrick was a ballhawk in the seconday, he saw his role change drastically in 2021. Thanks to porous run defense, Fitzpatrick ended up spending an inordinate amount of time chasing and tackling to the tune of 124 total tackles. This led the team.
Hopefully if the front seven can play better this season, it will get Fitzpatrick back to his All-Pro form and prove he is the best all-around safety in the NFL.
[vertical-gallery id=519060]
[listicle id=519098]