Minkah Fitzpatrick of the Steelers nearly quit just before making one of his greatest plays ever.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals played a wild contest in the 2022 season opener. Following a thrilling first half, the entire team found it difficult to generate any momentum. The Bengals tied the game after coming back from a 17–6 deficit, but the extra point attempt was stopped. It nearly didn’t happen, but the Steelers would go on to win in the last seconds of OT. In a game full of wild turns and turns, the Steelers nearly pulled off one of them with ease.
Along with a few other NFL stars, Minkah Fitzpatrick appeared on the NFL’s YouTube channel to talk about some of his best plays throughout his career. Rather than dissecting every aspect that enabled the extra point block, he admitted to a gaffe that, had he followed through, would have cost the Steelers the game.
“It’s crazy, I remember saying to myself, I was angry and frustrated. The Bengals came back, they drove the ball down the field, tied it up with three seconds left, and this was to win the game.” I was upset because we lost on a play when [Ja’Marr Chase] shouldn’t have caught the ball. I said to myself, “Man, I ain’t even gonna rush.” “It’s not even worth it,” I thought to myself, but then I decided to lock in. Let me attempt to pursue it. For me, they widened the opening considerably. The wing did not touch me in any way or anything similar.”
Had Fitzpatrick followed his bothersome thoughts, the Steelers would have suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Bengals. Rather, he followed through on his assignment and ultimately produced the play that kept the Steelers in the game. Even though he had every reason to be upset and disappointed, he persisted in the play and paid the price for it.
How Was It Possible For The Steelers To Stop The Kick?
Under normal circumstances, that kick would not have been blocked, even if the wing blocker had allowed Fitzpatrick to pass through. The Bengals’ long snapper, Clark Harris, had sustained an injury early in the contest. To snap the ball, they had to rely on a tight end who was on the third string. Ian Eagle reported on the broadcast that the snap was slower than usual. Fitzpatrick managed to block the kick just enough to cause it to miss because of the abnormally sluggish snap.
Actually, Cincinnati’s long snapper problems persisted into overtime, which contributed to the Steelers’ victory as well. Evan McPherson’s timing was affected by a high snap, which led to him missing the game-winning field goal. Zac Taylor later attributed a clock management error to the replacement snapper and a misunderstanding with the officials. The Steelers were able to escape a tie by marching down the field with just enough time remaining.
Fitzpatrick was crucial to the Steelers’ victory from beginning to end. They needed him throughout the game. In the game’s opening drive for the Bengals, he also scored a touchdown after returning an interception. He dissected that play as well, explaining how Joe Burrow was duped into believing he had an easy completion by the defense. Even with the blocked kick, the Steelers would probably lose without that play.
Fitzpatrick was understandably upset and eager to stop the game after everything that transpired from the half, including the defense giving up uncountable yards, the offense acting strangely, and TJ Watt ripping a muscle. But when the club is at its lowest, true stars can dig deep and create plays, and Fitzpatrick did just that, capitalizing on a dire circumstance for the Bengals.