‘I’m not a dirty player’: Fitzpatrick defends his hit on Browns’ Chubb

PITTSBURGH

After some former players and members of the national media called out Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick for being a dirty player after he ended Nick Chubb’s season with a low tackle, Fitzpatrick defended the hit and his football character.

Chubb, one of the best running backs in the NFL, dislocated his left knee and tore his PCL, ACL and MCL. The injury is so severe that some doctors question whether Chubb will be able to play again.

“It was very unfortunate,” Fitzpatrick said Thursday morning. “It’s a tough, tough injury. Unfortunately, it’s part of the game we play. I know people think I had ill will behind the tackle, but that’s not the case whatsoever. I’m a guy who is a competitor and is going out there to play the game. I’m chippy and edgy, of course, but I’m not a dirty player.

“I’m not going to sit here and defend my character. I know the type of player I am. Chubb knows the type of player I am. I’ve played against him in the past. I’ve played against him for five years, two times a year. I love competing against him. He brings the best out of me, and I bring the best out of him. There was no chance I was trying to purposely injure somebody.”

Former NFL receiver and CBS analyst Nate Burleson said on X that Fitzpatrick “torpedoed” Chubb’s knee when Chubb was already engaged with Cole Holcomb. He then criticized Fitzpatrick for not playing with his head up and for targeting his knee. He said it was either “a malicious or weak” attempt at a tackle.

Other former players had similar criticism of the tackle.

“We play a physical game,” said Fitzpatrick, who was selected by the Dolphins as first-round draft pick. “People get hurt. People can sit behind a screen and try to tell me how they would have done it or what I should have done, but they never played the game. It’s a fast game.

I’m praying for Chubb. I let him know it wasn’t intentional. I was just trying to make a football play.”

Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin echoed those sentiments. NFL coaches teach their players to go low against bigger players because it’s the most efficient way to tackle them.

“It’s part of the game,” Austin said. “We all know Minkah is not a dirty player. He’s a stand-up player. I have no problem with the way everything shook out. You don’t want it to happen. We’ve got a lot of respect for Chubb. Unbelievable player.

From what I know, unbelievable guy, and you hate to see it happen, but it’s just part of the game.”

Fitzpatrick said he made a split-second decision to go low once he saw Chubb charging through an open hole and toward the end zone.

“It’s goal line,” Fitzpatrick said. “I didn’t see anyone on him. I made the decision as soon as I saw the hole open up and saw him in the hole. I made the decision to go low. You can tell me how to tackle him low, but this is a fast game. You make decisions in milliseconds.

“You can’t control what happens after you choose to make your decision. Someone got on his back as I was going low. And what happened, happened. There is really nothing I would do different. It’s very unfortunate. Chubb is a great player. He makes the game a lot better when he’s playing. I hope for a speedy recovery.

“If I tackle a guy like Nick Chubb high, and he’s running full speed downhill, and I’m stationary, I’m going to get run over, and I’m going to get concussed,” he said. “I know it’s an offensive game, and people want to see points, but defensive players are people, too. We have to protect ourselves. When you’re tackling big guys, it’s easier, and you take less of a brunt on your body when you go low.”

Fitzpatrick was injured on the play. He suffered a bruised chest and later was removed from the game when he aggravated the injury.

Fitzpatrick was taken to the hospital to be evaluated, but he said he is going to play against the Raiders on Sunday night.