Steelers FS Minkah Fitzpatrick Expects to Play in ‘Nostalgic’ Return to Miami

PITTSBURGH — Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said his knee feels good and he expects to be able to play this Sunday in Miami against the Dolphins on Sunday Night Football.

Fitzpatrick tried to play through the knee issue in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills, but struggled in that game. He then sat out the team’s Week 6 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The All-Pro safety returning would be a big boost to a Pittsburgh secondary that has seen a half-dozen significant injuries over the last two weeks. The Steelers played without starting cornerbacks Cam Sutton, Levi Wallace and Ahekllo Witherspoon in the win over the Bucs.

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Wallace is expected to practice this week as he works his way through the NFL concussion protocol, while Sutton and Witherspoon are expected to be limited while returning from hamstring issues. James Pierre suffered a stinger against Tampa Bay and his status for this week is unknown.

The game will be something of a homecoming for Fitzpatrick. The 25-year-old is a New Jersey native, but has made his home in South Florida after being drafted by the Dolphins in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. This will be his first game back in Miami since being traded to Pittsburgh in 2019. He played the Dolphins as part of the Steelers later that season.

“It’s my first NFL team,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s going to be my first time going back there and playing at Hard Rock. It’s definitely going to be nostalgic, for sure.”

Fitzpatrick is looking forward to a strong test in his return on Sunday, with young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and receiver Jaylen Waddle — Fitzpatrick’s teammates at Alabama — joined by free agent additions Tyreek Hill, Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert.

“You’ve just got to be razor sharp,” Fitzpatrick said.