Baker, Smith, Adams: Top 10 highest-paid NFL safeties after Minkah Fitzpatrick deal

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is reportedly set to become the highest-paid safety in the history of the National Football League.

The 25-year-old has certainly made a big splash in the NFL, both with the Miami Dolphins and now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, having come into the league with a very impressive resume at the University of Alabama.

With the Crimson Tide he was a critical part of a side that won two national championships in 2015 and 2017, ending his college career with 171 combined tackles, 5 sacks, 24 pass deflections, 9 interceptions and 5 touchdowns, showing that there wasn’t a lot on the defensive side of the ball that he couldn’t do, being named a Consensus All-American twice, in 2016 and 2017.

It was that skill set that made the Dolphins take him with the 11th pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and he has been able to make the transition from college to pro with ease, as he continues to be a significant presence in the backfield. 

With the Dolphins he made 80 combined tackles in his first season, to go along with 9 pass deflections and 2 interceptions, one of which was taken all the way back for a touchdown. No wonder then that the Steelers were willing to give up a first, fourth and seventh-round draft pick to acquire him in 2019 as they looked to address some major issues on their defence.

Picks which it appears to be well invested, as with the Steelers Fitzpatrick has amassed a further 203 combined tackles, 11 interceptions and 2 touchdowns, one of them a 96-yard pick-six. 

MINKAH FITZPATRICK, 96 YARDS TO THE