The Steelers are concerned their All-Pro safety could be out much longer than Thursday night's game, a loss that will force them to change some of their defensive schemes in his absence.
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is helped after getting shaken up against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in Pittsburgh. painfully discovered last year what it was like playing without one of their most indispensable defensive players for seven games — T.J. Watt.
Fitzpatrick had an MRI Monday afternoon to determine the extent of his injury, and the Steelers are hopeful his injury is not as bad as the hamstring injuries sustained by two of their other players, receiver Diontae Johnson and tight end Pat Freiermuth. Sure, the Steelers will use veteran Damontae Kazee to replace Fitzpatrick at free safety. But asking him or anyone to perform all the different roles Fitzpatrick assumes in the defense is like asking a landscaper to fix the plumbing.
The Steelers have already had two players — Johnson and Freiermuth — go on injured reserve and miss four games after sustaining hamstring injuries this season. In Freiermuth’s case, he aggravated his original injury in practice trying to return after sitting out two weeks.That would be a significant blow to a defense that lines him in just about every position on the field behind the defensive line, not to mention relying on him to call the signals in the secondary.
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