Minkah Fitzpatrick meets with the media | Miami Dolphins

Minkah Fitzpatrick meets with the media | Miami Dolphins

Before Before we start asking questions, I want to make a make a statement real quick. Uh I know I I haven’t addressed the media or posted on social media. Uh one, I’m not a big social media guy. You ain’t going to see me on there. Period. Point blank. Uh two, in no way, shape, or form was that an expression of frustration about coming back to Miami. Um three, uh you know, I want to thank the city of Pittsburgh. Uh the fans of Pittsburgh. You guys treated me very well. Uh, I enjoyed my time there. I played with some great teammates. Um, I was very unfortunate the way things ended, but uh, you know, it’s a part of the business and, um, I’m extremely extremely excited to be a Miami Dolphin. Uh, again, my my silence was not a reflection of of how I felt about this team or this organization. Uh, I’ve been here in the building for uh, about a week now and I’m extremely excited about this season. I think we have a very very high ceiling. We have a lot of young hungry passionate guys combined with a lot of guys who played a lot of game and have a lot of accolades. So, uh this is an organ organization that um I’m extremely proud to be a part of and uh again my silence was uh nothing to do with with um my feelings towards uh the Dolphins organization. Uh with that being said, I’m not going to take any questions about uh how the transaction went down. I’m not going to take any questions about Pittsburgh or previous coaches or anything like that. I would like to respectfully uh talk about this current situation, this team, my players, my coaches, and uh you know, I would appreciate if you would would all respect those those wishes. Um you guys have a lot of new faces in the secondary and I was uh just asking Mike, you know, the offensive line is a five member unit. People say it needs continuity and time to be together. Yeah. Does that apply to the secondary or are you guys more independent contractors kind of so to speak? No, absolutely not. Definitely not independent contractors. I think uh if you look across the league, the best secondaries are guys who uh you know have been working for a long time uh playing together for for a long time have great chemistry. Um you know I think Mike is definitely correct in saying that um you know it takes time to form that chemistry, that communication, those non-verbal uh signals and stuff like that. Uh, and I think it’s also important that, you know, people people are able to move around and and do different things. You know what I’m saying? And again, that that takes time for sure, but that’s what that’s what camp is for. That’s what uh the offseason is for. And uh that’s what we’re looking to to be this this season. How long does it take a secondary to to jail? I don’t I don’t have a direct answer for that. This is a organization that’s going through a internal cultural change. when you arrived here, what did Mike and Anthony and Chris tell you about what they need from you, not just as a player, but as a leader in a tall setter? Um, I think I think the the message was uh I think there’s a standard that that Mike and Greer uh are trying to set. And um I think it’s it’s is working hard, being disciplined, being committed uh to this team, uh stripping yourself of ego, you know what I’m saying? It’s a very, you know, ego-driven sport and I think the best teams are the teams that remove the ego, uh, let down the mask and the and the and the pride and, uh, you know, play winning football, winning team football, offense, defense, special teams. And that’s the message that they sent to the team is the same message that they sent to me. You already touched on how happy you are to be part of the position, but how happy are you to be back in South Florida and where it all started as well? Yeah, I’m I’m very excited. It’s it’s very nostalgic. Uh we play we played here two seasons ago and I remember like pulling up to the stadium and walking on the field and like I was like I felt like I was like back in time. You know what I’m saying? And it’s a it’s a same feeling, you know, just being back down here. Um obviously it’s a different facility. It’s a beautiful facility. Um but you know, like I said, it’s it’s very nostalgic. A lot of the staff and trainers and stuff like that is the same. So, uh it was almost like I just went back in time. You know what I’m saying? So, uh, it’s been fun and, you know, my family’s down here, so it’s good to be back close to them. How surprised are you to be back here after leaving? It’s it’s business. Your teammates have been, you know, giving you a lot of praise saying like it’s incredible what you’re doing on the field, you know, to kind of already have that I would say, you know, feedback from teammates now. What’s the best part about continuing to build those relationships as you guys get ready to hopefully make some plays here? Yeah, I I think my favorite part is just um just getting to know everybody. I think um I could come in here and and make plays and uh you know have acrobatic catches and stuff like that and make great tackles, but if I don’t get to know my teammates has very little value, you know what I’m saying? Uh knowing them on and off the field, you know what I’m saying? because uh you know I’m I’m a big believer in uh you know trusting the the the guys that are around you and I don’t think that just happens on the field. I think it happens in the locker room happens at dinner you know uh during the week and stuff like that. So um you know I think I’m just most excited about getting to know everybody uh good, bad and ugly and then using our knowledge and our trust and our communication to go out there and execute at a high level. How do you look back on your first stint with the Dolphins? How do I look back on it? that um no just like any any anytime you look back on life I think there’s there’s highs, there’s lows, there’s blessings, there’s pros, there’s cons. You see what I’m saying? But you uh you learn from from the from the blessings, you learn from the lessons and keep it pushing. How is the make Fitzpatrick of 2025 different than the guy that is rookie? Yeah. Uh that’s a that’s a good question. Um, I would say I’m definitely a lot more emotionally mature. I think I was I was very uh emotionally unintelligent back then. Uh, and I, like I just said, I learned from my mistakes, you know what I’m saying? And I tried to to grow uh, in that area. I tried I tried to get to know the people around me better and learn how to communicate, learn how to not communicate, you know what I’m saying? Just just stuff like that. For sure. How do you grow that emotional intelligence? Uh, I think it’s kind of like what I said earlier, letting that ego down, letting that pride down. Um, understanding that, you know, you’re not going to be perfect and, um, you know, having good people around you who are going to be honest with you, uh, who aren’t afraid to to, you know, keep it a buck with you and, um, and, you know, kind of like what I was saying, just growing and learning and working together. N, how did it feel to have the first pick at training camp? Uh, it was it was great. I love I love getting picks. I love that it was the first one. Um just got to get more. I remember when you were first drafted, you came here and you had some very specific high high goals for your career. How would you judge your progress toward meeting those goals? Um I think uh as as a player, I think I hit a lot of those those marks that I want, but as a as a as a teammate, you know, I haven’t won a playoff game. uh haven’t been to a Super Bowl, haven’t won a a a conference championship, you know what I’m saying? So, there’s a lot for me that that I I still want to accomplish, you know what I’m saying? There’s still a lot left for me to um you know, check off the gold list. Yeah. Now that you are back, how much do you Can you say that again? My bad. Now that you are back here, do you want to be here long term? Uh yeah, def definitely. Um, like I said earlier, I’m I’m really liking the energy and the and the and the direction that that this is going. I think the culture of this locker room is is one that that wants to win uh and win now. Um, but you know, it’s also something that I want to earn. Um, I know that was reported that I wanted a new contract, but I just wanted to know that I was going to be here for more than a season. You know what I’m saying? And I and I got that. Uh, and now I’m going to go out there, play, uh, you know, all pro pro bowl level and, uh, you know, hopefully earn, uh, the respect of my teammates and the organization to have that long-term contract. You’re reunited with like a couple Alabama guys said that, you know, you’re quiet guy, but when you do speak, you command the room. Do you find yourself being one of the leaders in this group and just naturally setting that kind of way for yourself? Right now, I’m just trying to make the right calls, be in the right place, you know what I’m saying? and uh get to get to know my teammates. And there there’s definitely moments where I I will, you know, have to speak up and and communicate. But right now, I I don’t want to come in and um you know, be be overbearing. I want to get to know people before I tell them what to do or how to operate um and earn the earn their trust and earn their respect. And then once I get that, then you know, I’ll be everything I need to be. What’s it been like pract? Yeah, it’s it’s it’s been fun. I love going against this offense cuz uh they challenge you in every single every single way, shape or form. They could run the ball, they could run the ball laterally downhill. Uh they could throw the ball laterally downhill. The you know, they could show you 20 different formations in in one period. Uh so, you know, every single rep you have to uh you know, you have to be on your A++ game. Uh and um you know two is the the head guy over there and he’s leading the charge and it’s you know it’s awesome just going to the sideline after a play and he’ll come up to me and ask me you know what what happened here what you see why did you do this or and I’ll do the same vice versa you know he had two great balls today and uh you know I’m going go talk to him after this and be like what’ you see why how’d you know you could get you know what I’m saying and uh just being able to have that exchange is extremely beneficial for for me. Yeah. What do you think of his defensive team so far? Yeah. Um, you know, all great defenses start start up front. You know what I’m saying? I’m a DB. I’m not afraid to admit that. Uh, and you know, they got they got some some dogs up front. They drafted some some young guys who are going to play high level football for us. And uh, you know, it’s going to be our job in the back back end to cover, not let uh, you know, small games turn to big games, not let balls go over our head. And um, you know, I think that’s you know, we’ve that’s weave’s principle and that’s you know, most great defenses principles. You mentioned coming to work at this facility. How does this compare to the old place that uh this this is very nice. I’ll say that.

Minkah Fitzpatrick meets with the media after training camp practice.

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