The Pittsburgh Steelers have their own issues on defense, but they haven’t been coming through Minkah Fitzpatrick’s replacement. Juan Thornhill has played rather well in his first two outings with the black and gold.
Fitzpatrick, of course, is back with the Miami Dolphins for his second stint with the team that drafted him No. 11 overall in 2018. While Fitzpatrick didn’t exactly ask to be traded, the grass certainly hasn’t been greener for the eighth-year veteran.
Miami dropped its third straight game to open the 2025 campaign after falling to the Buffalo Bills 31-21 on Thursday night. Sure, Miami has plenty of issues that contribute to the 0-3 start, but Fitzpatrick hasn’t exactly reinvigorated the Miami defense on the back end like he did when he first arrived in Pittsburgh six years ago.
Minkah Fitzpatrick's quiet performance with the Miami Dolphins doesn't surprise Pittsburgh Steelers fans one bit
In the loss to Buffalo, Fitzpatrick finished with five tackles. His performance was largely uneventful, something Steelers fans had grown too accustomed to seeing down the stretch of his time in Pittsburgh. Just as Fitzpatrick’s role eventually simmered to simply preventing touchdowns on explosive run plays, his efforts on Thursday night didn’t appear to be much different.
In coverage, Fitzpatrick continues to be a step behind, only really able to track down a receiver after the catch. Through three games, he has only one pass deflection. He’s had just eight pass deflections since 2023.
Again, the issues in Miami stretch far beyond Fitzpatrick. The vibe shift for the team grows darker each week as head coach Mike McDaniel’s seat appears to be one of the hottest in the NFL. But it’s not as though Fitzpatrick is providing some sort of spark to swing the momentum either.
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Undeniably, Fitzpatrick has lost a step or some sort of edge that made him a three-time All-Pro in Pittsburgh. He simply doesn’t make the plays he used to. He hasn’t recorded an interception since Week 6 of last year, which is the only one he’s had since Week 17 of 2022.
With everything going south in South Beach, it’s tough for Steelers fans to watch him go down with the ship, but ultimately, it’s not overly surprising. Still, Fitzpatrick is just 28 years old, and he’ll most likely be a free agent after he turns 30. There’s still some time for him to revive his career and get back to his superstar performances that Pittsburgh fans remember.