'I'm not a dirty player': Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick opens up about Nick Chubb hit
Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, the player who delivered the hit that ended the season of Browns running back Nick Chubb, opened up about the play and said he is not "a dirty player."
Making his first public comments since the play, Fitzpatrick told reporters Thursday that he did not intentionally go after Chubb, whom he praised as a competitor.
"It's very unfortunate," he said. "It's a tough, tough injury. Unfortunately part of the game we play. I know there's people that 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 ... I love competing against him. He brings the best out of me and I bring the best out of him."
The play happened Monday night. It happened early in the second quarter, when Chubb received a carry and made his way through the offensive line and up the field, near the goal line. Fitzpatrick dove toward Chubb's legs and made contact on his left knee as he had planted into the ground, buckling the joint in an awkward position. ESPN's broadcast opted not to show replays of the injury.
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Chubb was carted off the field and was ruled out within minutes. Coach Kevin Stefanski said after the game that the team knew it was a serious injury. Stefanski declined to outline the specifics about the nature of the injury.
Fitzpatrick said that he talked to Chubb for a moment right after the play to tell him that it was not intentional and that he was simply trying to make the tackle.
"No chance that I would ever try to purposefully injure somebody," Fitzpatrick added. "We play a physical game and people get hurt. And, you know, people sit behind a screen and tell me how I should've done it or what they would've 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."