Fitzpatrick embraced what the season brought

The 2023 season was one that brought something safety Minkah Fitzpatrick wasn’t accustomed to.

And it wasn’t by choice, it wasn’t because of his play on the field.

It was because of something he has rarely experienced in his career.

Fitzpatrick missed seven games in 2023 due to a combination of injuries, including a hamstring injury mid-way through, and that was followed by a knee injury to close out the regular season.

It tested him, but it also taught him to embrace what he was facing.

“It’s part of the game. It was my first year and hopefully my last year where I’ve sat a significant amount of time,” said Fitzpatrick. “I just tried to embrace it. I tried to still lean from that position, that stance. Even though I wasn’t playing, there were still ways I was trying to get better, whether it be on the field or off the field.

“I just had to embrace it. It’s part of the game, part of our job.”

It sounds easy…just embrace it. But it’s not as easy as it sounds, especially when you aren’t able to do something you love so much.

“There were some days that were easy, some days that were tough,” said Fitzpatrick. “Game days were definitely tough.”

One of the things Fitzpatrick embraced during the time was an awareness of what was happening around him. He focused on some of the things he lost focus on when things are hectic in season.

“I tried to really stay engaged, not in a sense of being vocal or constantly communicating. But being where my feet are,” said Fitzpatrick. “Paying attention to what is going on around me. Paying attention to the little things. Paying attention to what people in the locker room, in this building say. What they are saying, what they are communicating. Whether it’s subtly or in your face, I was trying to take heed of everything that was going on and trying to correct some things that were being talked about. I had the necessary conversations.