Steelers Rumors: Introducing Minkah Fitzpatrick's new persona, The Perfectionist
Steelers' Minkah Fitzpatrick just proved why he wasn't just an All-Pro safety. He's also an exceptional team leader.
As first reported by ESPN's Brooke Pryor, Fitzpatrick made a small but meaningful gesture in the days leading up to the Steelers' season opener against the 49ers. Weary of seeing his teammates walk over the Steelers' logo on the floor of the locker room, the safety went to Pittsburgh's equipment staff, ordered stanchions, and had the logo roped off.
It certainly gives the Steelers logo a sense of royalty about it.
Fitzpatrick said of his actions: "I'm very, very big on the details. I think that something as small as keeping our logo clean, it's simple, but it means a lot at the end of the day."
One has to ask... Why did the Steelers put their logo on the floor in the first place? Doing so just asks people to tread upon it, regardless of intent.
Still, Fitzpatrick sent a very clear message to his teammates ahead of a pivotal 2023 campaign: Respect the name. Remember who you play for.
Fitzpatrick recorded a career-high six interceptions in 2022 and received Defensive Player of the Year consideration. If he pays as much attention to opposing wide receivers as much as he did to the logo, he's got another All-Pro season coming for him.
Side note: the Steelers' logo on the football field is not and cannot be roped off, so Fitzpatrick's actions could give his AFC North rivals a perfect taunting opportunity. Roquan Smith's ready to run all over those red, blue, and yellow stars...
Steelers Rumors: Matt Canada prematurely tagged as HC candidate
Head coach Matt Canada just sounds... off. Doesn't easily roll off the tongue.
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio nonetheless has Canada's name in his mouth, and he had a somewhat hot take claiming the third-year offensive coordinator could become a head coach candidate by next offseason.
Florio said Canada and Kenny Pickett were essentially "attached at the hip", and if Pickett performs well in 2023, Canada's stock goes up, too. "Canada certainly benefits from that. If Pickett really takes off this year or next year, that really helps Canada because owners will look at it and give a lot of credit to the coach."
Florio stops short of saying anything actually complimentary about Canada -- how could he, after he led the Steelers' offense to the bottom of the league in 2022, ranked 26th in points scored and 23rd in total yards.
Should Pickett take a huge Year 2 leap, it could be in spite of Canada rather than because of him, but that's not what teams looking for young, fast-rising head coaches may care about. On the surface, if Pickett improves his game, by default, Canada's reputation gets a boost as well.
Steelers Rumors: 3 stars have high trade value rankings
To avoid diving head-first into the rumor mill: this report doesn't say these Steelers players should or will be traded. It just says they have high trade values, which feels more of neutral than a polarizing statement.
According to The Ringer's Sheil Kapadia, Kenny Pickett, T.J. Watt, and Minkah Fitzpatrick are the three Steelers who have particularly high trade values in 2023. They are, after all, the best players on the team. This makes sense.
For Pickett, Kapadia put the quarterback in Tier 11, also known as "Our Fans Will Riot If We Trade Them." The 25-year-old Pitt product still has three years remaining on his rookie contract and doesn't feel like a lost cause just yet, not as long as he makes at least minor improvements and maybe becomes a competent starter in 2023.
The other two Steelers stars that made the list are T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick, both in Tier 5: "Elite and Expensive." That tier feels self-explanatory. Watt and Fitzpatrick have been the two defensive cornerstones of Pittsburgh's defense for the last several years; Watt is under contract through 2025, and Fitzpatrick is under contract through 2026.
Any theoretical trade package for either defender would include at least two first-round picks (think the Khalil Mack and Jamal Adams trades). Unless the Steelers fall off a cliff this season, those two stars will be around for hopefully the long haul.
