2022 was a bounce-back season for Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. After being named an All-Pro in 2019 and 2020, Fitzpatrick saw a dip in 2021 before returning to prominence in 2022 with another elite performance.
Pro Football Focus ranked the Top 32 free safeties in the NFL and gave Fitzpatrick some of the respect he deserved by ranking him No. 2 overall. Fitzpatrick only trailed Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James on the list.
Here’s what PFF had to say about Fitzpatrick:
The centerpiece of the Steelers’ secondary, Fitzpatrick had an excellent 2022 season after a disappointing 2021. His 82.4 overall grade ranked third among qualified safeties and he was one of just two safeties in the NFL to post at least an 82.0 grade in both run defense and coverage. His six interceptions, including a pick-six of Joe Burrow, tied for the NFL lead among all players. The Steelers’ cornerback position is in flux, but they can take comfort in knowing Fitzpatrick is roving behind them.
Fitzpatrick led the NFL in interceptions in 2022 with six. He also had 96 total tackles and 11 passes defended. A strong case could be made that Fitzpatrick is the most complete all-around safety in the NFL and better than James. Either way, it’s hard to rank Fitzpatrick any lower than this if you are taking in his total skill set.
