Minkah Fitzpatrick’s back, so for 1st time since opener Steelers have ‘big 3’ available on defense

The Pittsburgh Steelers boast three possible future Hall of Famers for the three levels of their defense.

Too bad, then, they’ve only had them together this season for about a dozen snaps in about a dozen games.

That will change Sunday now that All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has been cleared to make his return after a four-game absence because of a hamstring injury. He has been on the field for exactly one full quarter this season with former All-Pro defensive lineman Cameron Heyward, who was hurt during the first half of the season opener and soon thereafter underwent surgery for an injured groin.

Heyward missed six games, returning four days after Fitzpatrick went down. The duo joins T.J. Watt, a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, on defense for Sunday’s Week 13 home game against the Arizona Cardinals.

“It’s exciting,” Fitzpatrick said after Friday’s practice at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “I didn’t even realize it was only one (full) quarter. I thought was like a game or two (the trio had spent together in 2023).

“But yeah, all of the pieces are back on the chessboard. We’re all ‘A’ players, so we should be playing at an ‘A’ level.”

The defense has been playing its best in recent weeks, even without Fitzpatrick. In the past two games, the Steelers allowed the fewest total yards (259 and 222), rushing yards (96 and 25) and passing yards (163 and 197) this season. They’ve permitted two of their three best outputs of opponents’ points (13 and 10) during those games at the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, respectively.

That was with Trenton Thompson — signed after training camp began and on the practice squad when Fitzpatrick suffered his injury — playing virtually an every-down role at safety.

Thompson has filled in admirably, perhaps even earning himself a role going forward and a future with the team. But with all due respect to Thompson, Fitzpatrick is a three-time first-team All-Pro.

“He means so much to not only the secondary but to this defense by getting guys lined up,” veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson said. “Then, the playmaking ability. The fire that he brings each and every play.

“So we’re so just extremely blessed to get Minkah back at this time of the year because we really feel like we’re trending in the right direction. And when you’re trending in the right direction, you get a five-star player like Minkah, man, let’s see where it can take us.”

Fitzpatrick pulled up lame far away from the ball on a play during the first half in the Oct. 29 home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Steelers never put him on injured reserve, but he missed the four-game minimum required of an IR stint anyway, not returning to practice until this week. Fitzpatrick was a full participant Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

“It’s one of those injuries where you can feel great, and then you go out there and you run and you’re still not (ready),” Fitzpatrick said. “And then you can go out there feel great, and then you might pop some scar tissue or tweak it a little bit, especially as a DB against a receiver or running back or something like that. You don’t want to be out there until you can play at full go.

“It’s one of those things you’ve got to take your time with (and) be patient, which is annoying, but it is what it is.”

What’s been annoying for the Steelers defense over the past month-plus has been its trip far down the depth chart after losing safeties Keanu Neal and Elijah Riley to IR in the interim since Fitzpatrick has been out.

The defense also had been operating without its prime communicator on the back end.

“Minkah,” inside linebacker Elandon Roberts said, “is one of the heartbeats of this defense.

“It’s a joy to get him back into things this weekend.”

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