Minkah Fitzpatrick’s ‘business decision’ comes full circle when Dolphins face Steelers
Brian Flores isn’t thinking about the deal, the one that sent the Miami Dolphins’ top draft pick from last year to their upcoming opponent.
But the Dolphins’ head coach will have to have to face Minkah Fitzpatrick head on when they travel to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football.
Fitzpatrick, who the Dolphins selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2018 draft, requested a trade after he saw the direction Miami was heading in this season — a full-blown rebuild under a new coaching regime.
That wish was granted Sept. 17, when the Steelers traded their 2020 first-round pick and swapped a pair of Day 3 picks with the Dolphins.
“Other people made business decisions prior to mine,” Fitzpatrick told reporters in Pittsburgh this week. “I still communicate with players on the team. I grew close with a lot of players on the team, formed relationships with them. I don’t think it’s going to be unfriendly because I’m playing with a different team.”
His former teammates certainly don’t have any ill will.
Just ask wide receiver Jakeem Grant: “Personally, we’ve got a friendship outside of football. It’s going to be great competing against him and going against him live. Just going against him will feel like practice, except now it’ll be live so he’ll actually have to tackle me.”
Or running back Kenyan Drake: “I just look forward obviously for him to go out and compete like I know he will and continue to represent himself and now the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
Or defensive back Bobby McCain: “I’m excited to see him play as bad as it sounds because he’s on another team. I want to kick his a--, but I’m excited to see him play. He’s on another team, but he’s still my brother.”
And Fitzpatrick, a versatile defensive back, has flashed in his brief time with Pittsburgh. He recorded an interception and a forced fumble in the first quarter of his Steelers debut against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 22. Overall, he has 21 tackles, three defended passes, an interception and a forced fumble in four games total for the Steelers.
“He’s had some production,” Dolphins coach Brian Flores said. “He’s playing some safety. He’s playing in the box. I think they’re using him well. He’s been productive. I have a lot of respect for Minkah as do a lot of our players. We have a lot of respect for that team, and he’s a good piece for them.”
But Flores also emphasized that Fitzpatrick is just one piece of the puzzle the Dolphins will have to worry about against a Steelers defense that has eight first-round picks in its starting lineup. Pittsburgh ranks 10th in the NFL in yards allowed per play (5.2), 14th in points per game (21.8) and 15th in yards per game (354.3).
“I just kind of evaluate their defense and him as a cog in their defense. ... They have a lot of good players. Minkah just happens to be one of them,” Flores said. “I can’t focus on one guy. ... The deal was the deal.”
And the deal comes full circle for the first time on Monday.
“It will be another game, another team from a different city, a different state,” Fitzpatrick said. “I have to go out there, do my job.”
This story was originally published October 24, 2019 at 12:44 PM.
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