PITTSBURGH — Steelers star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick suffered a hamstring injury against the Jaguars on a sack. The play occurred when Fitzpatrick was backpedaling and suddenly came up lame with the injury. He grabbed the back of his right leg in that hamstring area, walking off gingerly. Following a short evaluation in the blue medical tent, Fitzpatrick went down the tunnel and to the locker room. Typically, that is not a good sign for players to return.
Minkah Fitzpatrick will not return ot the game with the injury. With him likely out for the game, it will be safeties Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal patrolling the back end. The backup safeties include Elijah Riley and Miles Killebrew, who can help the team out in relief.
Pittsburgh has had a series of injuries, specifically hamstring injuries, this season already. Diontae Johnson and Pat Freiemuth have had severe hamstring injuries that have caused them to miss multiple games. While Johnson is back, Freiermuth ended up on injured reserve after aggravating that injury and will be out at least through their game against the Green Bay Packers. He is eligible to return against the Cleveland Browns.
The Steelers came into the game with a banged-up secondary. Starting cornerback Levi Wallace is out with a foot injury, while Joey Porter Jr. and James Pierre are battling ailments, too. Wallace and Patrick Peterson have been the top outside cornerbacks for the first six games, though Porter has been eating into their playing time, particularly while Wallace was banged up last week. Porter played 78% of the defensive snaps against the Rams, the first time he played more than half a game. He played 40% of the team’s snaps in Week 5.
Fitzpatrick’s injury blows Pittsburgh, who must live without their star. The Steelers will have to shift their gameplan to deal with that, which is not easy midgame against the caliber of quarterback like Trevor Lawrence, but the team will have to fight on already trailing in the first quarter.