Minkah Fitzpatrick Wins First Ed Reed Dominating Player Award

Former Baltimore Ravens free safety Ed Reed has been impressed with what he’s seen from Minkah Fitzpatrick so far this season, as the Hall of Famer awarded Pittsburgh Steelers safety Fitzpatrick with the inaugural Ed Reed – Dominating Player of the Month Award.

“My first Dominant Award goes to Minkah Fitzpatrick,” Reed said, who’s a member of The 33rd Team. “This man has been making plays, though his team hasn’t been winning. He’s been helping put them in position to win. Pittsburgh Steelers is a defensive-minded team. Minkah Fitzpatrick has displayed the dominance in September, the first month of the season.”

Through four games, Minkah Fitzpatrick has proved that he was worth every penny of the four-year, $73.6 million contract extension that the Steelers gave him in June, which at the time made him the highest-paid safety in the league.

Fitzpatrick started the season with a bang by picking off Joe Burrow and returning it 31 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. He also blocked an extra point that would have won the game for the Bengals. Fitzpatrick is currently rated as the second-best safety in the NFL by Pro Football Focus with an 83.8 overall grade. PFF also has Fitzpatrick ranked fifth in coverage grade (81.5), ninth in run defense (78.7) and 10th in passer rating allowed (34.7). Fitzpatrick’s three interceptions rank second among safeties.

“He’s one of those players, you can tell does his homework,” Reed said of Fitzpatrick. “This guy has been making plays, putting his team in position to win football games, though they haven’t been coming on that side of the table. They’ve still been in games. They still been in games to have a chance to win. And that’s all you can ask for from your defense.”

If his high caliber of play continues, Fitzpatrick will certainly earn his third first-team All-Pro nomination of his career.

“He’s blocked a kick, he’s got three interceptions and he’s making teammates around him better,” Reed said. “One of his teammates had an interception this weekend. So, Minkah keep doing what you’re doing, man. Keep dominating. It will pan out.”