Steelers’ safety Minkah Fitzpatrick ‘tried to embrace’ the adversity of the injury-ridden 2023 season.
Minkah Fitzpatrick, a Pro Bowl safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers, had a season unlike any other in his NFL career in 2023, missing a career-high seven games due to injuries.
Fitzpatrick had a hamstring injury that sidelined him for four games in the midst of the season, and he missed the final three regular-season games due to a knee issue. The 27-year-old’s football skills were put to the test in a new way.
It is part of the game. Fitzpatrick recently told Teresa Varley of the team’s official website, “It was my first, and hopefully last, year where I sat for an extended period of time.” “I simply tried to embrace it. I tried to continue leaning from that stance. Even though I wasn’t playing, I was still trying to improve, both on and off the field.
“I simply had to embrace it. It’s part of the game and our duty.
Every club battles with injuries at some time during the season. Pittsburgh appeared to be missing key players on a weekly basis in 2023. Pittsburgh dealt with a slew of injuries, including Fitzpatrick and T.J. Watt for the playoffs, Cam Heyward (six games missed), Cole Holcomb, Kenny Pickett, and more.
The astonishing aspect is that, despite players like Fitzpatrick missing substantial time, Mike Tomlin guided his team to the playoffs with a 10-7 record. Given the injury situation, particularly on defense, most teams would falter, but Fitzpatrick credited Tomlin for keeping the ship on track.
“A number of older players and veterans stepped up. “We had a lot of younger guys step up,” Fitzpatrick explained. “We surveyed a large number of people. It’s a clear indication of the type of team we are. We are a gritty group that will fight no matter what. We have a lot of altruistic guys that will do whatever to help, both on and off the field. It wasn’t a surprise.
“Football is a crazy game.” Last year, we experienced some unusual conditions. It’s a clear indication of who we are, the type of team Coach T has constructed, and the culture Coach T has created. We continue to fight regardless of the circumstances. It is a hard-nosed culture. You have a job to accomplish; complete it, no matter how you do it.