Getty Image
Minkah Fitzpatrick delivered the hit that likely ended Nick Chubb’s season on Monday night. The Pittsburgh safety went low on the Cleveland running back as he ran towards the goal line.
The problem was, there was a Steelers defender wrapped around the ball carrier when Fitzpatrick dove at Chubb’s knee. The end result was a gruesome injury that will sideline Chubb for an extended period of time.
In the first quarter, the Browns drove for their first touchdown of the night. Riding their best offensive player, Cleveland gave the ball to its bruising back down near the endzone. Chubb broke through the line of scrimmage before being met by a pair of Pittsburgh defenders at the second level.
One Steelers player wrapped him up high while another went low.
That low hit, delivered by Fitzpatrick, caused Chubb’s knee to buckle. He remained down on the ground before being carted off the field. Now, many are questioning whether the hit was dirty.
Was the Minkah Fitzpatrick hit that took Nick Chubb out dirty??@JasonMcCourty explains why he went low pic.twitter.com/1kTGawRQ1i
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) September 19, 2023
Former NFL DB Jason McCourty doesn’t believe it to be.
“I don’t think it was intentionally dirty… You have to remember, DBs are the smallest guys on the field. The way you get a big back down is you have to go low. If you’re Minkah Fitzpatrick, you can’t tackle a Nick Chubb up high because he’s going to run right through you.”
McCourty goes on to say that it’s a split-second decision, and if he had to do it again knowing that someone was significantly injured, he likely would’ve taken another approach.
Former Steeler Ryan Clark agreed with that take. He responded to those calling Fitzpatrick dirty for the hit on Chubb.
This is dumb… it’s just football. No way Minkah intended to do that or can anticipate it. https://t.co/Q6nttfbmXF
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) September 19, 2023
He later doubled down on that opinion with a lengthy social media post.
“If a defender goes high and a player gets concussed, he’s dirty! If a defender goes low and a player gets a lower extremity injury, he’s dirty. Where can he hit a runner then y’all? I mean sheesh. The growing softness of this game and the sensitivity of those who watch it saddens me.”
Others, though, still insist that the hit was dirty and potentially intentional.
Minkah Fitzpatrick needs a lengthy suspension.
He might have just ended Chubbs career (it was possibly that bad), and that hit was completely unnecessary.
That was scummy
— Uce Ventura (@JerseyFinFan) September 19, 2023
No matter your opinion, everyone is hoping to see a healthy recovery and return to the field for Nick Chubb.