Mike Tomlin on Minkah Fitzpatrick changing role in defense: 'I'm not worried'

It’s a change for Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Steelers safety says it’s more like he’s getting back to his old hard-hitting self. He calls it “Minkah Ball.” It’s mainly about where he’ll line up in the secondary.

Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin doesn’t see it being an issue for Fitzpatrick, the former Alabama standout who is starting his sixth season with the Steelers.

“I’m not worried about Minkah Ball, to be quite honest with you,” Tomlin told reporters this week. “It’s just about availability. We get him in a helmet, consistently, those plays that we’ve known him to make and have come to appreciate will be there.”

Fitzpatrick missed seven games last season because of a lingering hamstring strain. In fact, injuries hit the secondary particularly hard, especially at safety. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the Steelers defense allowed 63 plays of at least 20 yards or longer. That ranked fourth highest in the NFL behind the Bengals, Buccaneers and Lions.

Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said some of those big plays happened when his star safety was on the bench.

“You go back and look at the tape, and they were throwing balls where Minkah normally is,” Austin said this week. “When Minkah is back there, those balls don’t get thrown.”

Steelers DC said he probably asked Fitzpatrick to do too much

Then Austin took the blame for the big plays that happened when Fitzpatrick was on the field.

“We all know what kind of football player he is,” Austin said. “The biggest thing for me is to get us in the best positions so they can play as well as they can. Last year, I probably failed in that regard. We tried to have him do too much stuff, and I think I’m going to get back to doing what really makes him special.

“Minkah is at his best when he’s playing back a little bit deeper,” Austin said. “And seeing things and being able to react and see the game because he sees the game really fast. My job is to keep him back there as much as possible and keep him out of situations when he’s blitzing and stuff. Not that he can’t do it, but he’s better doing the other things.”

The Steelers also will be using a mostly new secondary. DeShon Elliott will be the new strong safety, with Fitzpatrick taking free. Meanwhile, Donte Jackson and Cameron Sutton likely will be starters at two of the three cornerback spots.

Fitzpatrick’s stats took a hit because of his tender hamstring. He didn’t get an interception all season. Fitzpatrick failed to force a fumble and he didn’t recover any, either. Before 2023, he had forced at least two turnovers in each of his first five seasons.

“Just let me play ball,” Fitzpatrick told reporters last week. “That’s it. Minkah ball.”

The Steelers safety added: “As many great players as you could get in the field is going to help Minkah play Minkah ball.”