Minkah Fitzpatrick has established himself as one of the very best safeties in the NFL since joining the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019. He looked solid in Miami, but he’s developed tremendously since moving to Pennsylvania. Now, he boasts four Pro Bowls and was the interceptions co-leader in 2022.
However, last season was one to forget. Unable to play his natural, predatory game, Fitzpatrick put up a distinctly uninspired box score for the season. Much of this was down to team dynamics and injuries, but No. 39 has already come out to claim he needs to get put back in a position to play his game, to play “Minkah Ball.”
The schedule in 2024 for the Steelers looks to be unforgiving, to say the least. Still, it might just be fate that the Old Bridge, New Jersey native’s hometown team is coming to the Acrisure Stadium at a prime time to really kick Minkah Ball into top gear.
Getting Fitzpatrick back to his best
In ten games, Minkah Fitzpatrick didn’t manage to force a fumble, recover a fumble, or snag an interception, but did secure 64 combined tackles and defended three passes. This isn’t to say that he played poorly, though. PFF (A subjective ratings service) rated him as the fourth-best safety, per a June 2024 report, behind Kyle Hamilton, Antoine Winfield Jr, and Jessie Bates III.
When he could suit up, the 27-year-old was reliable in his defensive duties, he just lacked those big, explosive plays that he’s become known for. While he did miss some time in 2022, Fitzpatrick snagged six interceptions, returned one for a touchdown, hit 96 combined tackles, and defended 11 passes.
With an offseason of significant improvement on the defensive side of the ball, the hope is that Fitzpatrick – hopefully fully fit and raring to go – will be freed up next season. You can find out more at NFL.com, but the safety stated that the team just needs to let him play ball, “That’s it. Minkah ball.”
Eyeing up New Jersey’s finest
Based on the 2023 win percentages of their upcoming opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers have certainly drawn one of the short straws in 2024. The .533 combined win percentage gives the Steelers the third-toughest schedule, only behind the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens.
The early days look to be rather tricky before a potential reprieve towards the end of October. First, it’s a trip to face the Falcons, and then the Broncos before playing host to the Chargers. Follow that with a road game against the Colts, a home game with the Cowboys, and a trip all the way to the Raiders, and the first third looks tough.
After all that, Fitzpatrick’s home team comes to town. The New York Jets won’t enjoy the journey, having gone 3-5 on the road last season and only won two of ten games in Pittsburgh. Even for one of the NFL’s shortest road trips, there’s a huge difference between playing in East Rutherford and Pittsburgh.
It’s not just the atmosphere, but even the online casino games change! You can find out more at BonusFinder, but at one of the best-rated sites in New Jersey, there are loads of New York Jets-branded games, including NYJ Football Studio, NYJ Blackjack, NYJ QB Blast Lucky Tap, NYJ Deluxe, and NYJ Roulette.
On that same website, it’s all about Steelers games once you’re in Pennsylvania! On top of these home-field advantages, Fitzpatrick might be back to ball-hawking. For the Jets, the hope is that Aaron Rodgers can play more than a few snaps in 2024.
Still, in his last full season (2022), he nearly matched his interceptions record set in his first full season (2008) by sending it in the hands of opponents 12 times. While none were on Rodgers’ level, in his place, the three QBs combined for 15 interceptions.
If the first third of the season proves to be as grueling as it looks, the Jets coming to town could be the catalyst for bigger and better results for the Steelers – especially if Fitzpatrick punishes his hometown team!
