21 September 2023 , 17:17
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Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said there would be nothing he would do differently regarding the low hit placed on Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb. The collision resulted in Chubb suffering a serious knee injury ruling him out for the rest of the season.
There has been some criticism of the tackle, with some observers claiming the low hit should be considered illegal in order to protect ball carriers. But Fitzpatrick has denied any wrongdoing and explained players with a good understanding of football know that to attack strong players like Chubb, one must aim for their legs. If they don't, there's a chance that elite runners like Chubb break through the tackle and gain a lot of yards.
"I would say, one: they've never tackled Nick Chubb before if they're telling me to go high," said Fitzpatrick to people who suggested he was wrong for making the play. "Two: What I seen was it [the chance to make a play] it opened up. It's goal line.
"I didn't see anybody on him. I made the decision as soon as I saw the hole open up and him in the hole to go low. You can tell me how to tackle him low, but it's a fast game," he explained.
"It's a game [where] you make decisions in milliseconds. You can't really control what happens after you choose to make your decision. I already chose to go low. Somebody got on his back when I was going low, and what happened happened. There's nothing I really would do differently. Again, like I said earlier, it's very unfortunate. Nick Chubb's a great player. He makes the game a lot better when he's playing. [I] just hope for a speedy recovery."
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Chubb suffered the knee injury during Week 2 of the NFL season. During the second quarter, Brown's running back was tossed the ball on a routine designed run play intended to rush the ball through the middle of the Steeler's defense.
Nick Chubb's knee injury against the Steelers ended his season after being hit by Minkah Fitzpatrick (Getty)The four-time Pro Bowl selection pivoted his foot to change direction when a defender from the Steelers tackled him. However, Chubb managed to break free from the tackle and carried the defender on his back before being halted by the Steeler's safety. Fitzpatrick's helmet hit Chubb's leg, causing it to bend unnaturally.
After the hit, Chubb was in visible pain and had to be carted off the field by medical staff. The following day, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed to the media that Chubb wouldn't return for the rest of the season. Orthopedic sports surgeon Dr. David Abbasi went on his YouTube channel to share his belief that the season-ending injury sustained by Chubb on Monday could threaten his entire career.
During Week 11 of the NFL season, the Steelers will face off against the Browns again, with Cleveland having home-field advantage. Throughout their lengthy rivalry, the Steelers have maintained the upper hand, leading the overall series with a record of 81-62-1. The teams have also met three times in the playoffs, with the Steelers holding a 2-1 advantage.