Miami Dolphins listen as Fitzpatrick praises Flores after record deal
By Brian Miller
For those Miami Dolphins fans that have been following the NFL recently, you will know that Minkah Fitzpatrick signed a mega extension this week. And he is very thrilled.
Rewind back to Fitzpatrick’s rookie season in 2018. Fitzpatrick was taken 11th overall by the Dolphins and started 11 of 16 games. He posted two interceptions and 80 combined tackles. He appeared to be the Dolphins’ answer at safety for the long-term. That all fell apart.
Rumors began to trickle out of Miami that Fitzpatrick wasn’t happy with the role he was playing under Brian Flores. Even his mother got into the conversation after she publicly said her son shouldn’t play anything but safety. Flores wanted him to play a hybrid role. Learn multiple positions on defense to get better.
Fitzpatrick didn’t agree and after two games in 2019, the Dolphins traded their former first-round pick to the Steelers for what would become Austin Jackson. Needless to say, the Dolphins didn’t do well with the trade. Fitzpatrick made the Pro Bowl and has been heralded as a future megastar
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This week, the Steelers made him that mega-star giving him a record contract extension that will pay him as an elite NFL player. This despite not making the Pro Bowl last year.
All of this became more interesting when Brian Flores was fired this off-season and joined the Steelers as a defensive assistant. Now, Fitzpatrick is saying that Flores is exactly what the Steelers defense needed.
"“Coach Flo, he’s a piece that we really needed. He’s a detail-oriented coach. he’s not a guy that’s going to let things get brushed to the side. He’s direct.” – Minkah Fitzpatrick"
A lot has changed since his early days in Miami. Flores will definitely help the Steelers’ defense. For everything that went wrong in Miami for Flores, the defense, aside from his handling of Fitzpatrick was pretty darn good.
It will be interesting to see how all of this turns out for Fitzpatrick but we, as Dolphins fans, don’t need to worry about it but for one game this year. In reality, it all may have been a blessing. The Dolphins got rid of an attitude but a year after he left, they landed Jevon Holland who has been everything the Dolphins had hoped he would be…and yes, it is a slow news day!