LATROBE, PA (93.7 The Fan) – Away from the team for most of the week, Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick returned to practice on Saturday. Fitzpatrick and head coach Mike Tomlin confirming he was dealing with a family matter.
“It was good,” Fitzpatrick said of being back at practice. “Honestly when you are away from the game you love for a while, it’s always good to get back to it, even if it’s just a few days. You realize how much you love the game. How much you are about the game. Obviously, you want to be there for family and your people. It’s good to be back.”
Fitzpatrick participated in 7-on-7 drills but none of the physical 11-on-11 drills or 7 shots on Saturday. He said he should be back to full practice in a couple of days. He was able to do some running and cardio work while he was gone. Fitzpatrick spends most of the year-on-and-off season working out at the Steelers facility.
The 26-year-old said he felt bad with Damontae Kazee still out with an ankle injury and Keanu Neal missing some time that there were three safeties out of the mix. He looks forward to getting in there and helping out Kenny Robinson, Tre Norwood and Miles Killebrew.
Robinson is the new face to the mix.
“He’s a guy that has experience in the league,” Fitzpatrick said of Robinson. “He’s a guy that plays fast, plays hard. He’s a guy that loves the game and plays with energy. That’s contagious and we love playing with guys like that.”
Getting Fitzpatrick back will help as defensive coordinator Teryl Austin works to establish roles in the secondary. Minkah is grateful Tomlin had no issues with him leaving to take care of his family.
“You definitely appreciated that,” Fitzpatrick said. “I said two words to him and knew what it was when I had to leave and he told me ‘go’. Go be there for your family. Go do what you have to do. It wasn’t an issue at all.”
“You definitely make sure you appreciate a coach and a program that takes care of family.”