Back in 2019, Brian Flores’ first season as the Miami Dolphins head coach, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was fresh off of his rookie season, requested a trade just one week into the season.
Miami fulfilled his request, sending the former Crimson Tide defensive back, a 2020 fourth-round pick and a 2021 seventh-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for picks in the first and fifth rounds of 2020 and a sixth in 2021.
The Dolphins ended up using those draft selections on Austin Jackson, Jason Strowbridge and Gerrid Doaks (more picks traded).
Fitzpatrick became an All-Pro safety in Pittsburgh, earning the honors in both of his first two seasons there. He’s off to another strong start in 2022 with interceptions in three of his five appearances this year.
On Sunday, for the first time since being traded, the safety will play a game in front of his former fans at Hard Rock Stadium, and he knows it’s going to be more than just a regular game.
“My first NFL team, it’s gonna be my first time going back there and playing at Hard Rock, and I’ll definitely be nostalgic, for sure,” Fitzpatrick said.
The safety’s return isn’t being talked about as much with Flores returning to Miami, Tua Tagovailoa coming back from injury and the 1972 Dolphins being honored on Sunday night, but this dynamic is just as interesting as any.
