Minkah Fitzpatrick defends his hit on Nick Chubb
How did you feel about the hit?
The Football Feed
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb saw his season come to a crashing halt after his knee bent in a horrifying way during this week's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.
And for Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who delivered the hit on Chubb that resulted in the injury, there isn't anything he'd do differently.
"It's very unfortunate. It's a tough, tough injury," Fitzpatrick said, per ESPN.com. "Unfortunately, part of the game that we play. I know there's people that (thought I) had ill will behind the tackle. It's not the case whatsoever."
"I'm a guy that's a competitor who's going to go out there and play the game. I'm chippy. I'm edgy, of course, but I'm not a dirty player. I'm not going to sit here and defend my character. I know the type of player I am. Chubb knows the type of player I am. I've played against him a bunch in the past. Five years, two times a year. I love competing against him. He brings the best out of me, and I bring the best out of him."
He then made it clear that while he plays with an edge, it's never his intent to cause injury.
"No chance that I would ever try to purposefully injure somebody. Unfortunate event," Fitzpatrick said. "We play a physical game. People get hurt, and you know, people sit behind a screen and tell me how I shoulda done it or what they would have done and they've never played the game. It's a fast game. Things happen."
"Like I said, it's an unfortunate event. Praying for Chubb. I talked to him briefly as he was on the ground. Just let him know that it wasn't intentional. I was just trying to tackle him -- make a football play."
