Kevin Gorman: MetLife Stadium brings back memories for Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick

Minkah Fitzpatrick never attended an NFL game until he played in one, but smiles at the recollection of playing in games at MetLife stadium long before he made it to the league.

The Pittsburgh Steelers free safety starred at St. Peter’s Prep when the Marauders reached back-to-back New Jersey Non-Public Group IV championship games, losing to Bergen Catholic his junior year but winning the rematch in 2014.

“We played our state championship games in the Meadowlands, so I’ve played there before,” said Fitzpatrick, who ran for 46 yards on 10 carries and caught four passes for 51 yards and a touchdown from future Notre Dame and UCF quarterback Brandon Wimbush in the 34-18 state-title victory as a senior.

“I have good memories, for sure. I think I was so excited about playing in the state championship game that I didn’t think about it too much, but just being out there and seeing the NFL logo in the center of the field and things like that is pretty cool. You do tell yourself, ‘Maybe I could be here one day.’”

When the Steelers play the New York Jets on Sunday, it will serve as a homecoming for Fitzpatrick. The native of Old Bridge, N.J., will be playing in front of family and friends at MetLife Stadium for the fourth time in his football career.

Fitzpatrick was a first-round pick of the Miami Dolphins his first time back, a 20-12 victory over the Jets in Week 2 of the 2018 season. This time, Fitzpatrick returns as a Pro Bowl starter for the Steelers and a prime reason they are playoff contenders.

Since being acquired in a trade with the Dolphins in exchange for the 2020 first-round draft pick, the second-year veteran from Alabama has 48 tackles (31 solo), five interceptions, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries and a pair of touchdowns.

Imagine where the Steelers would be without him. They lost Sean Davis to season-ending shoulder surgery, and backup Kameron Kelly was torched by Tom Brady in the season opener at New England. Kelly was waived on Friday after his arrest for an incident involving police at a South Side bar.

When Fitzpatrick arrived, it was in plug-and-play mode.

“He’s critical (to the defense), to be honest,” Steelers inside linebacker Vince Williams said. “He’s a catalyst to our success, with the turnovers, his intelligence, how seriously he takes the game. We lost somebody at a critical position but we replaced that guy with somebody who is just as significant, if not maybe a little bit better in some aspects.”

Not only has Fitzpatrick proved to be a pivotal playmaker for the Steelers but he’s also developing into a leader on the defense, admired for his attention to detail and placing a premium on preparation. His combination of instincts and football IQ isn’t lost on coaches and teammates.

That doesn’t surprise Jets coach Adam Gase, who was head coach of the Dolphins and envisioned Fitzpatrick as a future NFL star when they selected him 11^th overall last year.

“The guy is a phenomenal locker room guy, a phenomenal worker,” Gase said. “He does everything right. He plays the game the way you want a player to play it.”

Gase has paid close attention to Fitzpatrick’s success with the Steelers, especially with how they have played him primarily at free safety after he moved all around the secondary with the Dolphins before requesting a trade.

“I’m happy for him that he’s had the success that he’s having,” Gase said. “He’s playing exactly the position that he was drafted to play and you can tell he’s playing as aggressive as those guys need him to play. The ball finds him. He just has a knack. … He just finds a way to get his hands on the football.”

The ball doesn’t just find Fitzpatrick. He’s shown a knack for finding the end zone. He had four picks in a three-game span, and scored touchdowns in back-to-back games for the Steelers earlier this season. Against Indianapolis, he returned an interception 96 yards for a score. Against the Los Angeles Rams, he returned a fumble 43 yards for pay dirt.

Fitzpatrick attributes the touchdown against the Rams to instincts, as he broke on the ball and was in the right place when it tipped off cornerback Joe Haden’s fingertips. The touchdown against Indianapolis was due to film preparation, as he had seen the Colts run two receivers to the corner as a diversion and stayed home and made a good read on the play.

“He’s been a factor all year long,” Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler said. “I just hope he keeps playing the way he’s been playing. If he does that, then he should help us quite a bit.”

After winning a state championship in high school and a national championship at Alabama, Fitzpatrick wants to become a catalyst in helping the Steelers win a Super Bowl. First, they have to make the playoffs, and a victory over the Jets at the stadium where it started is the first step towards that goal.

“It’s definitely an honor,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s cool to see the full circle. It’s where I played my state championship games, where I dreamed of playing as a professional one day. It all happened to work out like we wanted to so we’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing.”

The Steelers are counting on Fitzpatrick to make more memories at MetLife Stadium, especially if the ball finds him again and he takes one to the house in his homecoming.

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