Minkah Fitzpatrick's mom rips Dolphins reporter for criticizing his play
Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has been playing at strong safety in training camp thanks to injuries to Reshad Jones and T.J. McDonald.
According to South Florida Sun-Sentinel beat reporter Omar Kelly, Fitzpatrick “isn’t playing well.”
This assessment did not sit well with perhaps Fitzpatrick’s biggest fan — his mom.
‘Just keep ripping him’
Melissa Fitzpatrick took notice of Kelly’s assessment on Wednesday and blasted the reporter for “ripping him” while noting that her son is playing out of position.
No you would never want to do that maybe it’s because he is not a ss and is being used to suit other people skill set not his own . But you know let’s just keep ripping him because we know it breaks your heart to do that
— minknmelissa (@minknmelissa) August 14, 2019
‘She’s not wrong’
What did Fitzpatrick think of his mom chiming in publicly about his work place? He agreed.
"She's not wrong,” Fitzpatrick told reporters. “Coach has asked me do something right now. I got to do what they ask me to do. If we have to have some discussions in the future, we'll have those discussions.”
Maybe keep it in house next time
He also wishes his mom would have run her beef by him before going public.
“It is what it is,” Fitzpatrick told the Miami Herald. “She’s being honest and saying how she feels. There’s nothing wrong with it. I wish she would have addressed me first and talked to me first before it happens, but it is what it is. She feels very strongly.”
Fitzpatrick was coveted for his versatility
Playing out of position is Fitzpatrick’s position. The Dolphins spent a first-round pick on the Alabama safety in 2018 because of his versatility. Fitzpatrick’s trademark is being able to line up almost anywhere in the secondary as well as linebacker.
But perhaps putting the 207-pound defender in the box to face 300-plus pound offensive linemen isn’t the ideal fit.
But for now, with Miami’s strong safeties ailing, that’s where he’s filling in.
He doesn’t sound upset about the assignment from rookie head coach Brian Flores.
“You just got to do it, man,” he told the Herald. “If you resist it, you’re not going to play well. If you think about playing somewhere else, you’re not going to make the most of your position. I’m not 215 pounds, 220 pounds. So playing in the box isn’t best suited for me, but that’s what coach is asking me to do.”
Just don’t let his mom hear any complaints about how he’s doing at the position.
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