Steelers Mike Tomlin Says He Has The Same Conversations with Minkah Fitzpatrick As He Did With Troy Polamalu

[Steeler Nation]

The Pittsburgh Steelers were lucky when they were able to send a first round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Minkah Fitzpatrick. It isn’t often that All-Pro players come available for such a low price. But in an un-Steeler like move they dealt their 2020 first round pick for Fitzpatrick. The move helped the Steelers begin to transform their shaky secondary into a solid unit. Something that couldn’t be said since the days of Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor, and Deshea Townsend.

Today Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin joined the Bleav In Steelers Podcast with hosts Mark Bleav and the aforementioned Taylor. During the show Taylor brought up Fitzpatrick to Tomlin and the coach gushed as he spoke highly of the safety. He began to talk about Polamalu in comparison to Fitzpatrick. While no one will compare to the Hall of Famer Polamalu ever again, Tomlin notes the same unique traits that he sees as a comparison to the two.

It’s so funny and Minkah doesn’t even know and understand this and I think this is the awesome perspective that years on a job provides. I have very familiar conversations with Minkah and it sounds a lot like some of the conversations that I had with Troy over the years, man. It’s just when someone has a unique skill set or a unique perspective on the game, you got to cultivate that and you got to learn from it and not limit it. Troy’s innate ability in short yard circumstance to take off from nine and ten yards away from the line of scrimmage man and leave his feet in anticipation of a quarterback sneak,” Tomlin continued. “I mean, think about that. A lot of people would dream about doing stuff like that and talk about doing stuff like that. We witnessed a guy do stuff like that routinely. And the innate feel for the game, the intuition, the courage that it takes to make those type of spur to moment decisions out of the box decisions, decisions that 99% of professionals wouldn’t make right. He was bold enough and felt strongly enough about his feel for the game and those instances in those moments to do stuff like that.

Steelers fans will never forget Polamalu hurdling over the line of scrimmage to sack Joe Flacco, and Kerry Collins.

Steelers.com

How can you not appreciate it? And so for me, I’m like, hey Troy, when you took off and ran toward the line of scrimmage with 3 seconds on the play clock, what was your mindset? And I find myself having very similar conversations with Minkah. As opposed to hating the outside the box things that he does, and does in a real natural way because this God given ability, I try to learn from it. I try to bottle it, if you will, in an effort to maybe teach it to others or to at least gain some understanding about what makes them them. I think that’s how you bring the best out of them. I think that’s how you use their unique talents to teach others and also just think that that’s how you give them the latitude to be the artist that they are. Because when you’re talking about guys like TP, you’re talking about artists, you’re talking about guys that see the game in the world a little bit differently than you and I, and it’s displayed in how they play.

Since coming over from the Dolphins in 2019, Fitzpatrick has been named an All-Pro twice, and selected to two Pro Bowls. Last season was a down year statistically for Fitzpatrick, but he finished with a career high 124 tackles. Those numbers weren’t because he was allowing receptions and tackling after the catch, but because of being forced to play near the line of scrimmage. The Steelers run defense was horrible, and Fitzpatrick was usually the last line of defense after runners would hit wide open holes.

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Steelers Legend Troy Polamalu Would Switch Coverages On the Fly and Bill Cowher Would Have a Heart Attack​

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[MTC]

I like Minkah but he is no Troy lol.
I get from a Coach perspective trying to develop those conversations to instill a certain mindset, but some things are just unique.


That said. Sign Minkah long term.

 

[SteelerSask2]

I like Minkah but he is no Troy lol.
I get from a Coach perspective trying to develop those conversations to instill a certain mindset, but some things are just unique.


That said. Sign Minkah long term.

Agreed and if he was similar to Troy they sure as hell don't use him right.

 

[Steel Reign]

Troy was absolutely the complete package. An athletic freak. Instincts from here to forever. Both football smart and just plain smart, period. And even with ALL of those gifts, a dude who put real work in. Father time was the only real enemy of Troy. One of the most complete players I have ever had the pleasure of watching. Oh, and he just happens to be, from all accounts, just a really good person.

Athletic, cerebral, and hard working. What a player. Still crushes me that Shazier looked to be developing into the LB version of Troy before his career ended too early.

 

[Fiji Mariner]

Just tells me that MT has a limited vocabulary and can probably only hold 3 conversations

They both play/played Safety for the Steelers…otherwise looks like a midget standing in the shadow of a giant helmet

 

[BLITZ]

I am sorry but there will never be another Troy.

 

[slashsteel]

When comparing a SS to a FS I am not sure there can be a fair assessment. Both were great at their assignments. Polamalu was obviously a better ballhawk if we must compare. Both have/had excellent range.

 

[Fiji Mariner]

One was once in a lifetime, the other a solid pro bowler but not even a generational talent…Troy was beyond special and there will never be another like him

 

[slashsteel]

One was once in a lifetime, the other a solid pro bowler but not even a generational talent…Troy was beyond special and there will never be another like him

If Mink isn't a generational talent he is close. He obviously hasn't achieved what Polamalu did. But Polamalu wasn't stuck on the Lolphins out of the gates either.

 

[Fiji Mariner]

Mink is a nice solid pro bowl safety, but definitely not a generational talent. Nothing wrong with being excellent.

So your belief is that he is the best FS in the league?