Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers agree on extension making him NFL's highest-paid safety

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Minkah Fitzpatrick and the Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed on a massive four-year, $73.6 million contract. $36 million will be guaranteed, making Fitzpatrick the highest-paid safety in the history of the NFL.

“Steelers and All-Pro S Minkah Fitzpatrick reached agreement on a massive four-year contract extension worth over $18.4 million per year, with $36M gtd at signing, per source,” Schefter said. “The deal, negotiated and confirmed by @WME_Sports, makes Fitzpatrick the highest paid S in NFL history.”

Fitzpatrick has only been in the league for four seasons but has become one of the top defensive backs, regardless of position. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins with the 11th overall pick before being traded to Pittsburgh during the 2019 season.

Since then, the Steelers have had one of the best safeties in the NFL on their hands. Fitzpatrick has been named to two All-Pro teams and been voted to the Pro Bowl twice. In 46 career games with Pittsburgh, he has started in all of them and recorded 11 interceptions, 27 passes, defended, and 225 tackles.

Now, he will be a key part of the historic franchise’s defensive plans for the foreseeable future. Fitzpatrick has also set the market for safeties across the league with his historic contract.

Minkah Fitzpatrick reunites with former Alabama teammate

After starting their professional careers elsewhere, the former Alabama duo of Fitzpatrick and Levi Wallace now meets up in the AFC North for the first time since the 2018 College Football Playoff national championship win over Georgia.

Since Levi Wallace has joined the Steelers this offseason, he says he has spoken with Fitzpatrick at length but still holds seniority.

“I’ve definitely taught Minkah everything he knows back at ‘Bama,” joked Wallace. “So it’s like talking to myself back there. No, I’m just playing. Minkah’s just a leader day in and day out. Even when we leave here, he always wants to do extra stuff like go swimming to work on our lungs or get another lift in. And I’m like, ‘Yo, Minkah, relax dude. I’m 27, you’re just 25.’ So it’s fun being with him again and just the leadership he is. He’s easy to talk to, easy to ask questions to, as he’s always been. He just wants the best for everybody here. So just to have a guy like that in the secondary… it’s definitely benefitted me.”