What happened to Minkah Fitzpatrick?
THE Pittsburgh Steelers' clash against the Cleveland Browns has left two star players out of action.
Minkah Fitzpatrick, 26, had to leave the game on September 18, 2023, while rival Nick Chubb was stretchered off the field after a fierce tackle.
Who is Minkah Fitzpatrick?
Minkah Fitzpatrick is an American football free safety from Old Bridge, New Jersey, who was born on November 17, 1996.
He wowed during his college debut for Alabama and was named a Freshman All-American following the team's triumph at the national championship over Clemson.
The 6ft 1ins star broke a number of records during this time and earned several more accolades ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft.
He was signed by the Miami Dolphins that year and was the first safety drafted.
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The team offered him a fully guaranteed four-year, $16.4million contract with a signing bonus of $10.04million in June 2018.
Fitzpatrick was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in September 2019 and went on to finish the season with 69 tackles, five interceptions, nine defended passes and two forced fumbles.
He has continued to impress on the field and signed a four-year, $73.6million contract extension with the team in June 2022.
With an annual salary of $18.4million, this made Fitzpatrick the highest-paid safety in the NFL at the time.
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What happened to Minkah Fitzpatrick?
The three-time Pro Bowler suffered a chest injury as the Cleveland Browns took on the Steelers on September 18, 2023.
Fitzpatrick was forced to leave the game in the third quarter after enduring a number of heavy blows during tense tackles.
He first had a run-in with Nick Chubb, 27, near the endzone while challenging him shortly after the second half kicked off.
The Browns running back suffered a horror injury to his left knee, which has put him out for the rest of the season.
Fitzpatrick appeared to suffer a lower-body injury and took a breather on the sidelines before returning to the game.
The Steelers did not disclose any information about his condition at the time and the safety went on to stop Jerome Ford from scoring a 70-yard touchdown.
But Fitzpatrick was forced to bow out again halfway through the third quarter with an injury to his chest.
Fans claim they saw the safety vomiting on the sideline before he was ushered to the locker room.
He was rushed to a local hospital to undergo a medical evaluation, according to head coach Mike Tomlin.
It is unclear how Fitzpatrick suffered the injury or which tackle may have caused it.
Has Minkah Fitzpatrick been injured before?
Fitzpatrick has managed to navigate his NFL career without sustaining any dramatic injuries.
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During his freshman year at Alabama in 2015, he missed one game due to an undisclosed injury.
He was placed on the Steelers' Reserve Covid list in November 2021 after testing positive for the virus.