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Just a week after the Steelers had one of their All-Pro defenders return to action, he suffered a potentially significant injury, which leaves his health in question for the rest of the season.
All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who played for the first time since Week 8 due to a groin injury, broke his left hand in Pittsburgh’s Week 13 loss to the Cardinals. He was put in a cast at halftime and finished the game, but Fitzpatrick’s impact will surely be limited for at least the near future.
Depending on the severity of the broken hand, it can typically take anywhere from a few weeks to several months for it to heal, according to SportsMedicineOregon.com.
The three-time Pro Bowler has been a turnover machine since he joined the Steelers in 2019, totaling 20 takeaways (17 interceptions, three forced fumbles). However, he had just five tackles on Sunday, which is the type of play fans should expect to see from him moving forward.
“They casted me up. I couldn’t grab with it. … I just tried to punch with it,” Fitzpatrick told reporters. “I’ll be fine. We’ll probably just wrap it up.”
It sounds as though Fitzpatrick is going to try and play through the injury. Whether there’s a high risk of him further injuring it is unknown but it’s safe to say a less-than-healthy Fitzpatrick is still a better option than a fully healthy backup.
Pittsburgh is still in the race for the playoffs as the AFC’s current No. 5 seed with a 7-5 record. So having Fitzpatrick still in the starting lineup is even more important with just five weeks left in the regular season.
The Steelers defense is quietly allowing the sixth-least points per game (19.1) in the league and Fitzpatrick will certainly still play a significant role as long as he is healthy enough to play.
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