Kirk Cousins ​​​​praises Minkah Fitzpatrick and compares him to the Falcons' talented safeties

In early 2019, the Miami Dolphins traded their star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a slew of draft picks, including a first-round pick in 2020, as part of a rebuilding team. This trade paid off for the Steelers.

Since joining the Steelers, Fitzpatrick has been selected to the All-Pro first team three times and made four Pro Bowl appearances. He missed some time in 2023 due to hamstring and knee injuries, but he remains one of the NFL's best defenders.

Fitzpatrick and the rest of the Steelers defense will be tasked with silencing the Atlanta Falcons offense when the Steelers open their 2024 season this Sunday. Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​had high praise for Fitzpatrick.

“Well, I think he's a smart football player. I think he sees the game really well,” Cousins ​​said in a transcribed quote from Teresa Varley on the Steelers' team website. “I think he's a very versatile player. He could do a lot of things, and I think he's a team leader for them. He's similar to what I talked about Justin. [Simmons] and Jessie [Bates III]. I would think that as a player he is cut from the same cloth.”

Fitzpatrick is best described as versatile, according to Cousins. He is a versatile safety who can perform well in both the running game and the passing game. Since coming to Pittsburgh, Fitzpatrick has become one of the most important members of the Steelers' talented defense.

While fans see Fitzpatrick's obvious talent on the field, his leadership remains something that may go unnoticed by fans while it continues to be evident in the locker room. He was a huge help to rookie linebacker Payton Wilson this offseason and developed into a veteran leader.

Cousins ​​compared Fitzpatrick to Justin Simmons and Jessie Bates, two safeties who recently joined the Falcons. Simmons was signed just a few weeks ago and will make his Falcons debut against Pittsburgh, while Bates' first season with Atlanta won't be until 2023.

Cousins' comparison makes sense. Bates, who spent most of his time with the Steelers' rival Cincinnati Bengals, was named second-team All-Pro last year, recording six interceptions, 11 passes defensed and 132 tackles.

Simmons has also been one of the most consistent players at his position over the years, being named second-team All-Pro in four of the last five seasons, while he and Fitzpatrick are tied for the league lead with six interceptions each in 2022.

Fitzpatrick, Simmons and Bates are in a league of their own, and Sunday's game between Pittsburgh and Atlanta will feature three of the league's best safeties in the same stadium.

When Fitzpatrick is healthy, however, it's hard to argue that anyone plays the position better than him. Cousins ​​knows how impactful Fitzpatrick can be, and the Steelers hope he can help them to a win in the season opener on Sunday.