‘Some mean more.’ Inside Minkah Fitzpatrick’s silence about his return to Pittsburgh
Minkah Fitzpatrick is a man of few words.
So when asked about the emotions that the star safety will feel when he steps onto the field at Acrisure Stadium for the first time as a visitor in his career, his response was as detached as expected.
“The only reason why it’s a big week this week is because we’ve got a game, and we’ve got to win it,” Fitzpatrick said quite succinctly Tuesday.
Although Fitzpatrick might not be inclined to reveal his actual sentiments, there’s certainly something about a matchup against the very team that traded him after six seasons. The Pittsburgh Steelers dealt him to the Miami Dolphins in June for tight end Jonnu Smith, defensive back Jalen Ramsey and a pick swap. To say that Fitzpatrick has absolutely zero emotions about his return would be a fallacy, especially considering that a victory not only would put the Dolphins back at .500, it would somewhat validate the very reason Miami welcomed him in the deal: he hasn’t lost a step.
“They all count the same,” Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said, “but some mean more.”
Weaver knows a little something about Fitzpatrick’s predicament. After four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, the team that drafted him, Weaver opted to sign with the Houston Texans. In his sixth and final NFL season, Weaver finally faced the Ravens, a game in which he ultimately lost. That, if anything, gives him a unique understanding of what’s going through Fitzpatrick’s head.
“It’s a credit to ‘Mink,’ you know it’s much bigger than you,” said Weaver. “I know deep inside, regardless of what he says, it would mean a lot if we could walk off that field with a win. I know he’s going to do everything possible within the scheme to protect his teammates and try to get that done.”
Selflessness might not be the first word that comes to mind about Fitzpatrick — the former Alabama standout famously asked Miami to trade him in his second season due to what he believed to be a poor utilization of his talents — yet a lot can change in six years. Case in point: the very versatility that he initially had an issue with during the Brian Flores years has been on full display in 2025 as injuries forced him to play a bit of nickel cornerback.
“He’s one of those guys just because he has such high [football intelligence], knows how to play to his skill set regardless of opponent, I think he can play there as long as he wants,” Weaver said. “He’s one of those guys where I wouldn’t say there was anything he couldn’t do because if he puts his mind to it, he’s going to get it done.”
Then there’s the veteran presence that he has brought to the defensive back room. To a rookie such as Dante Trader Jr., who grew up in awe of Fitzpatrick, the mentorship that a five-time Pro Bowler can provide has been invaluable.
“Minkah is so instinctual,” Trader said, explaining that he “picks his brain” a lot. “You can’t recreate Minkah and I don’t try to. I know my limitations. But I always ask ‘Why do you want to show this? Why do we do this?’ He gives great details about our position and what the quarterback does in response.”
Added Trader: “We’re starting to get more connected because the more I ask, the more I learn. Now, me and Minkah don’t even talk [on the field]. I can just see what it does and move.”
Despite a 2-7 start to the season, Fitzpatrick has remained a steadying force. A recent, postgame clip showed the star safety telling his teammates that “there’s no other group that” he would rather be with, something he later describes as his sheer joy in the team’s resiliency.
“I’m extremely proud of the way this team has stuck together,” Fitzpatrick said. “We started off not the way we wanted to, but instead of pointing fingers and separating, we all leaned more into each other. We all took accountability. We tried to figure out what each individual player could do better, and we just continued to fight.”
Maybe that’s why he refused to even remotely make himself part of the story line ahead of Monday night’s prime-time showdown. Leadership, at its truest form, requires a person to put the greater good of the group ahead of one self, something that Fitzpatrick has certainly done that earned coach Mike McDaniel’s praise.
“He’s been focused on the right things which isn’t making it about himself; it’s much more about what he’s sacrificed for this team and you want to see that through,” coach Mike McDaniel said. “I think collectively, guys have done a good job not paying attention to all things that aren’t real. What’s real is that two teams are playing and the best team effort will win. That’s kind of where we have been focused.”
