Miami Gardens, FLA. (AP)-It is about a month since Minkah Fitzpatrick was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Dolphins team that has drawn up him, and hopes to stay on Miami for long term.
Fitzpatrick spoke for the first time with reporters on Monday since he returned to Miami, who appointed him in 2018 and appointed him in 2019 at his request. He said that his lack of public comment was not an expression of frustration with return to the dolphins.
“My silence was not a reflection of how I felt about this team or this organization,” said Fitzpatrick, adding that he would not take questions about “Pittsburgh or previous coaches or something like that.”
Fitzpatrick and the dolphins correspond to a restructured contract on Sunday that moved $ 2 million from his salary from 2026 to this coming season and converted part of his salary into a $ 16.2 million signing bonus. This season it gave him a wage increase to $ 17.5 million while his agent and the dolphins continue to work on a long -term deal.
“I know it was reported that I wanted a new contract,” said Fitzpatrick, “but I just wanted to know that I would be more than a season here and I got that. And now I go outside, I play all-pro, Pro Bowl level and hopefully the respect of my teammates and the organization to have that long-term contract.”
The dolphins selected Fitzpatrick 11th General in 2018, but the safety became dissatisfied with his role among the then coach Brian Flores, asked for a trade and was treated for a year after he was drawn up.
Fitzpatrick soon became one of the best safety of the NFL in Pittsburgh, making five Pro Bowls and three all-pro teams there during his time there.
His new Dolphins teammates have praised his leadership in the short time he has been to Miami. He came up with the first interception of the training camp on Saturday with an athletic choice of Quarterback Zach Wilson.
“Minkah is very quiet, but when he talks, everyone listens,” said recipient Jaylen Waddle. “He has one of (those) personalities when he comes up with the field – that dog has just got that energy. He has been here for a few days, but it is as if the defense is pulling him. He has made a crazy game today, so everyone is hyped. It’s great.”
Dolphins sign another cornerback
The dolphins added more experience to their secondary Monday when they signed former Bengal and Steelers Cornerback Mike Hilton.
Hilton has made 56 starts in eight seasons with Pittsburgh (2017-2020) and Cincinnati (2021-24), so that 520 tackles (386 solo), 11 1/2 bags and 13 interceptions were made, one returned for a touchdown.
The 31-year-old had 73 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and intercepting as one of the leaders of the defense of the Bengal last season.
“In recent years he played against him, he was the only man in the defensive rear field who realistic and from the point of view of physicality, you are like:” I wish they would not be in Nickel, “Dolphins -coach Mike Mcdaniel said.” I wish he wouldn’t be on the field. ” That is how convicted he would play and how physically he plays the game from the defensive back position ”
The dolphins had already signed Jack Jones and Cornell Armstrong for depth after Cornerback Artie Burns on the first day of the camp a torn ACL suffering.
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