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Last season, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was named an All-Pro for the third time in four seasons as well as led the NFL with six interceptions. Fitzpatrick’s versatility and playmaking were good enough for our friends over at Touchdown Wire to name him their top safety in the NFL.
Be sure to check out their full list of the Top 11 safeties in the league right here. Here’s a snippet of what they had to say about Fitzpatrick.
Last season, Fitzpatrick played 640 snaps at free safety, 161 in the box, 112 in the slot, 14 at cornerback, and 12 along the defensive line. Wherever he was, opposing quarterbacks and receivers were not generally having a great time. Fitzpatrick allowed 25 catches on 36 targets for 369 yards, 123 yards after the catch, one touchdown, six interceptions, four pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 72.3. At safety specifically, whether in single- or two-deep coverage, Fitzpatrick’s field sense and eye for the ball made him an intelligent weapon for Mike Tomlin’s defense at all times.
Fitzpatrick’s game is all about his ability to move around and force offenses to account for him. In 2021, when Fitzpatrick was forced into a more limited role, he wasn’t able to make those splash plays even though he led the team in tackles.
With the improvements the Steelers have made around Fitzpatrick on defense this offseason, he could be poised for an even bigger season in 2023.
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