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T.J. Watt: Minkah Fitzpatrick Trade Provided ‘That Blood In The Water’ Defense Still Feeds Off Of

Since around the time of Chuck Noll’s arrival, the Pittsburgh Steelers more than any other team diligently protected their most valuable commodity: their first-round draft picks. Having gotten into the habit of flipping them for past-their-prime stars, Dan Rooney stepped in during the 1960s and put an end to that practice.

Half a century went by before they dealt another first-round draft pick, but this time it was certainly worth it. Giving up their 2020 first-round selection in September 2019 yielded them S Minkah Fitzpatrick, a three-time All-Pro as of the time of this writing.

Even in the midst of a terrible season—the Steelers had just learned that they lost QB Ben Roethlisberger for the rest of the year—Fitzpatrick made an immediate impact.