minkah-fitzpatrick.jpg
Getty Images

Sunday night's game in Miami will have plenty of juicy storylines, including Brian Flores' return to South Beach as well as the Dolphins' plans to honor the undefeated '72 Dolphins. Another interesting narrative is Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick making his return to Miami after the Dolphins traded him just one year after selecting him in the first round of the draft. 

Fitzpatrick told reporters Wednesday that he expects to face his former team after missing the Week 6 win over the Buccaneers with a knee injury. The two-time All-Pro said he expects to have feelings of nostalgia upon his return to Miami. He said he is a much different player from the one who was traded just two games into his second season. 

"Obviously, it was a big, big shift going from one team to another," Fitzpatrick said (via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review). "After being drafted in the first round, it's not common that you get traded the following year. I had to make decisions and lock in and really try to turn things around."

player headshot
Minkah Fitzpatrick
MIA • FS • #29
View Profile

It's safe to say the Steelers are happy with the transaction. Fitzpatrick made an immediate impact upon coming to Pittsburgh. He was named as an All-Pro during his first season with the Steelers while helping Pittsburgh finish with an 8-8 record after an 0-3 start. The former Alabama standout made All-Pro again in 2020 as the Steelers won their first division title since 2017. 

Fitzpatrick's role changed from playmaker to pseudo linebacker in 2021, as he recorded a career-high 124 tackles while helping mask some of the defense's issues in the front seven. While his role change came at an individual cost (he did not earn Pro Bowl or All-Pro recognition for the first time since coming to Pittsburgh), Fitzpatrick's selflessness helped the Steelers earn a wild card playoff berth. 

"I'm going to go out there and do whatever Coach T asks me to do and whatever the team needs me to do in order to win," Fitzpatrick told CBS Sports during training camp. "Last year, it was making a lot of tackles, and the year before that, it was getting a lot of turnovers. Whatever this year brings, this year brings." 

This year has seen Fitzpatrick reprise his role as a playmaker, with three interceptions in five games that includes his pick-six in Pittsburgh's Week 1 win over Cincinnati. Fitzpatrick earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after tallying 14 tackles in that game as well as blocking the Bengals' point-after attempt to force overtime. 

Sunday is a big game for both teams. The Dolphins are hoping to snap a three-game losing streak after a 3-0 start. Pittsburgh (2-4) is hoping to win its second straight game while remaining in striking distance of first place in the AFC North division.