Former Dolphins Minkah Fitzpatrick cites versatility as Steelers want

Former Miami Dolphins first-round pick of only a year ago is now with the Pittsburgh Steelers after a trade early last week.

Miami Dolphins fans have been on the fence about Minkah Fitzpatrick since the trade but now that he is gone, what he is saying should shine a better light on the lack of character that he actually has. It is probably a good thing that he is gone.

When the Dolphins drafted Fitzpatrick in 2018, they thought they had that versatile jack of all trades type that could change a game on a dime. A play-making corner/safety that was a hard-hitting smart athlete that opposing teams had to game plan for.

They didn’t get that. Instead, they got a guy that showed he could do it but when they needed him to do it, he cried to his mommy and his mommy took to social media to defend him.

To understand what Fitzpatrick is saying now, we have to understand what Fitzpatrick was saying only a couple of weeks and maybe a month ago. Fitzpatrick wanted out of Miami because he didn’t like the fact that Miami wanted to use him at safety, or as a linebacker type, or as edge corner. Fitzpatrick wanted to play slot corner because that is where his stats look the best. That is where is more comfortable.

Throughout camp, Fitzpatrick was moved all over the defense and at times he didn’t look good. That prompted his mother to take to social media and complain about how he was being used. Fitzpatrick didn’t see eye to eye with Brian Flores and when the coach, GM, and owner sat down with him to convince him to stay, he declined.

Now he is a Steelers and he had this to say about why the Steelers stepped up to trade for him.

"“I think a vital part of my game is my versatility,” the former first-rounder said. “I’m able to move around, whether it be free (safety), nickel, corner. Playing in the box, covering guys, stuff like that. I think that’s an important part of my game, and that’s a reason why they wanted me here, to move me around.” – Via ESPN"

FItzpatrick stated that it is “versatility” that made him a target for the Steelers. His ability to play more than one defensive position, his ability to move around the field, he even went as far as to say, “an important part of my game”.

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The thing is it is not an important part of his game. Fitzpatrick wanted out of Miami for whatever reason but let us not believe it was because he didn’t want to play multiple positions. There was something else. Fitzpatrick will play free-safety for the Steelers this week and likely the rest of the season. Another position that he did not want to play for the Dolphins.

After all is said and done, down the road fans and media alike may criticize the Dolphins for trading a perennial Pro Bowl talent maybe 15 or 20 years from now those same will be debating whether or not he is worthy of the HoF. That is a long ways away but for now, the Dolphins got really good value for a player that was never going to give his full effort at a position that he didn’t want to play.

It will be interesting to see if his attitude changes in Pittsburgh if his personal stats don’t align with his vision of his own value. After reading his rhetoric the trade makes a lot more sense for the Dolphins and frankly, Fitzpatrick shouldn’t be that hard to replace.