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Brooke Pryor, ESPN Staff Writer
INDIANAPOLIS — After his team’s first loss of the season, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick expressed frustration for the unnecessary roughness penalty he drew late in the third quarter of a 27-24 defeat to the Indianapolis Colts.
Fitzpatrick was flagged for hitting wide receiver Adonai Mitchell as quarterback Joe Flacco‘s deep sideline pass fell incomplete with 1:32 to go in the third quarter. Fitzpatrick was running toward Mitchell as the ball sailed out of bounds, and though he pulled up and didn’t lead with his head, Fitzpatrick still collided with Mitchell.
The safety said officials told him after the play that Mitchell was a defenseless player.
“I thought we were playing football,” Fitzpatrick said. “I don’t know what we’re playing at this point. Very different game than what I grew up playing and what I grew up loving. Can’t hit nobody hard, can’t be violent. So I don’t know. I don’t know what to say anymore.
“They said he’s a defenseless player and I hit him in the head. I don’t understand how he’s defenseless. If he’s going for the ball, I’m going to make a play on him or the ball. Just because he puts his arms down at the last second, shouldn’t be a penalty. Didn’t hit him in the head either. But like I said, you hit people hard, and they throwing flags now.”
Fitzpatrick was also asked if his momentum carried him into making the hit.
“Yeah, it shouldn’t matter, because I have every single right to go for the ball,” Fitzpatrick said. “If I don’t clean him and put my head into his head, it shouldn’t be a penalty. I’m allowed to go for the ball, just like he’s allowed to go for the ball, and I don’t even know how we’re supposed to play anymore.”
The 15-yard penalty gave the Colts a fresh set of downs instead of third-and-long and allowed them to cross midfield. The Colts eventually scored on the drive to go up 24-10. At the time of Fitzpatrick’s penalty, the Steelers trailed the Colts by a touchdown and were attempting a comeback after digging themselves a 17-0 first-half hole.
“That was bulls—,” teammate DeShon Elliott said of the call against Fitzpatrick. “I don’t care. I don’t care. That was BS. That was not OK. That wasn’t illegal. He did nothing malicious. He didn’t even hit him in the head. He hit him, led with the shoulder. If anything he let up. So I don’t know what that was about.”