Why the Steelers were wise to give Minkah Fitzpatrick a huge new deal
On Wednesday, it was announced that the Pittsburgh Steelers gave safety Minkah Fitapatrick a massive new five-year contract extension, making him the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history. Fitzpatrick will get more than $18.4 million per year, with $36 million guaranteed, with his new contract. That puts Fitzpatrick quite a bit above Seattle’s Jamal Adams, the former positional contract leader, at $17.5 million per year.
“We are very excited to sign Minkah to a new five-year contract,” said Steelers general manager Omar Khan said in a statement. “Minkah is one of the top safeties in the NFL and we are thrilled he will be in Pittsburgh through at least the next five years. When we traded for him, we knew he was going to be an integral part of our defense and we look forward to that continuing as we prepare for the upcoming season.”
It’s well-deserved, as Fitzpatrick has proven to be far more valuable throughout his NFL career, both as a generalist and as a specialist. Fitzpatrick played all over Nick Saban’s Alabama defense from 2015 through 2017, excelling everywhere from the slot to the box to free safety. He continued that plan after the Dolphins selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 2018 draft. In his rookie season, per Pro Football Focus, Fitzpatrick played 95 snaps in the box, 166 at free safety, 379 in the slot, and 289 at outside cornerback. And with all those spots, Fitzpatrick allowed just 35 receptions on 62 targets for 496 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 69.0.
Things changed for Fitzpatrick in September, 2020, when the Dolphins traded Fitzpatrick to the Steelers for Pittsburgh’s 2020 first-round pick. Head coach Mike Tomlin and his staff altered Fitzpatrick’s responsibilities to primarily deep safety, and he responded immediately and excellently.
That’s where Fitzpatrick has stayed for the most part, and through nearly three full seasons in the Steel City, he’s allowed seven touchdowns, with 11 interceptions.
As the Steelers transition to a post-Ben Roethlisberger era, having their defense on track will be of paramount importance. Getting Fitzpatrick on board is a major part of that.
