Minkah Fitzpatrick didn't have the smoothest of exits from the Pittsburgh Steelers, as he was abruptly traded following an uneventful 2024 season. But Fitzpatrick believes he would've found more success if he were used properly.
On a new episode of The Pivot with Ryan Clark, Fitzpatrick claimed that his biggest regret during his Steelers tenure was that he got stuck in the deep-coverage safety role instead of being able to utilize his versatility.
"In Pittsburgh I definitely regret the way I handled the situation," Fitzpatrick said. "When I first got there they just plugged me in at post safety half safety. And I played well there. After awhile quarterbacks aren't going to be throwing you the ball a whole lot And I kind of got pushed into that
role. People forgot that what I was known for was my versatility and doing different things. I'm a good football player so no matter where you put me on the field I'm going to be a good football player. But I think where my capabilities are maximized is when I could do different things."
Minkah Fitzpatrick on his biggest regret in Pittsburgh:
— Matthew Luciow (@matthewluciow92) August 11, 2026
"In Pittsburgh I definitely regret the way I handled the situation. When I first got there they just plugged me in at post safety half safety. And I played well there. After awhile quarterbacks aren't going to be throwing… pic.twitter.com/aKPJLoKySO
Fitzpatrick added that he should've approached the defensive staff and asked them to move him around in order to increase his splash plays.
While no one can truly defend Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin's mismanagement of an otherwise talented defense, Fitzpatrick's comments are rather strange when considering that he initially requested a trade from the Miami Dolphins after being asked to play in so many different positions.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Minkah Fitzpatrick reveals biggest regret from Steelers tenure
