Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick rips officials, NFL over personal foul penalty vs. Colts
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick went after the officials and NFL over the personal foul penalty against him during the game against the Indianapolis Colts. After the game, Fitzpatrick spoke to reporters about the penalty that helped the Colts get their third touchdown of the day.
“I thought we were playing football. I don’t know what we’re playing at this point,” Fitzpatrick said. “This is not the game I grew up playing and what I grew up living. You can’t hit anybody hard.
Fitzpatrick was hit with a personal foul penalty for his hit on Colts rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. The penalty occurred late in the third quarter and helped the Colts go up 24-10 against the Steelers. When it was all said and done, the Colts earned a 27-24 win over Pittsburgh.
The reason Fitzpatrick was upset was he made incidental contact with Mitchell. Officials said that the Steelers safety hit a defenseless receiver but the hit was shoulder-to-shoulder and not helmet-to-helmet. Other than the penalty, Fitzpatrick had a strong day, recording nine tackles in the loss (six solo).
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More on Minkah Fitzpatrick and his 2024 season
Fitzpatrick is in his fifth full season with the Steelers and is comming off a Pro Bowl season in 2023. During his time in Pittsburgh, the former Alabama Crimson Tide safety has been named to the Pro Bowl four times and the All-Pro First Team three times.
Before the 2024 season began, Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin talked about getting Fitzpatrick in a position to make more plays this year. “We all know what kind of football player he is,” Austin said, per Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. “The biggest thing is, as coaches, our job is to try to get all of our guys in the best positions possible so they can play as well as they can and play up to their abilities. Last year, I probably failed in that regard because we tried to have him do too much stuff. I think I’m gonna really get back to what makes him special.”