Minkah Fitzpatrick’s Brother is Good at Football Too

The good news for the Miami Dolphins is that you can’t really say that they lost in the Jalen Ramsey trade this offseason. They moved Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.

The Dolphins are 0-3 and a bumbling mess, but it would be tough to argue that they’d be killing it with Ramsey and Smith. In three starts, Fitzpatrick has 22 tackles and a pass defensed. He’s not doing much, but the Dolphins problems are so much deeper than him.

But, at least Fitzpatrick is now back in South Florida where his family is. He said it was difficult in Pittsburgh all those years being away from them and missing out on so many family functions.

“It was tough. We missed a lot of events,” Fitzpatrick said. “We missed a lot of birthdays and stuff, but they came up a good amount even during the season. … It wasn’t always everybody, but they were just trying to get somebody up there at least once a month. We would always try and spend one of the holidays together, whether that be Thanksgiving or Christmas. And then I’m down here during the offseason, so I got to see them for half the year.

“You miss a lot of events, but it’s an unfortunate part of business.”

Minkah Fitzpatrick’s brother Justice will be in attendance against the Jets

On Monday night, the Dolphins host the New York Jets in an AFC East showdown that will surely electrify no one outside of the Fitzpatrick clan. The truly exciting part will be finding out which team ends the night without a zero in the win column. Until we see something different, these two teams stink.

But, at least Minkah’s family will be there to watch the fireworks? His team is an unmitigated nightmare, but at least his brother Justice will get to watch him live.

“I think the best part of being a brother is watching your siblings develop,” he said. “Being a big brother, whether it be my sisters or my brother … just watching him go from a little 5-foot bucktoothed kid to 6-2 1/2, 190 [pounds] running 10.5 [seconds in the 100-meter dash]. It’s awesome watching that and then also just being able to teach him everything that I know.”

Justice is the 42nd ranked high school player (cornerback) in the country according to ESPN’s recruiting database and is already committed to the University of Georgia.

“Honestly, I’m really excited about being able to watch him play,” Minkah said. “For the last however many years, I haven’t been able to see him play in person. I had to wait till it was online or watch him play 7-on-7, so the fact that I get to show up for him on Friday nights and be able to see him in person is definitely exciting.”

Dolphins GM surprised to get Minkah Fitzpatrick twice

The Dolphins re-acquired Fitzpatrick this offseason and general manager Chris Grier was surprised – again – that he’d be able to acquire the talented safety.

“Honestly, I was shocked,” Grier said back in August. “I was very surprised we were able to get him. … I think the way you look at it is they got two players that they liked and we got a player that we had coveted too as well, so it was a win-win.

“Getting Minkah back was a big piece for us. I’ve known Minkah, obviously I drafted him, I know what kind of person he was, what kind of leader and how he loves ball … it was important for this team and these people and the young players we have to know that this is the standard of what we’re going to be and how we’re going to run here.”

And, Grier was shocked that he was even there in the first round of the draft back in 2018.

“I didn’t expect Minkah to be there, to be honest with you,” Grier said at the time. “For me, he was probably — however you put it — one of the top five or six players in this draft. As we got calls after the pick, other teams kept calling us telling us, ‘He was in our top five players in the draft.’ For us, the value at that point was surprising that he was there.”

Regardless, Fitzpatrick is back and now he gets to spend time with his brother, who may end up spending more time with him in the NFL someday.

49ers' Brock Purdy Provides Major Injury Update on Himself

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy suffered a toe injury in his team’s Week 1 win over the Seattle Seahawks. The 25-year-old signal caller was sidelined for Week 2’s win over the New Orleans Saints and Week 3’s victory over the Arizona Cardinals, but he may be close to returning.

Purdy was a limited participant in each practice session so far this week, and he’s listed as questionable to take the field for Sunday’s Week 4 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Purdy spoke to reporters after Thursday’s practice and provided an encouraging update on his recovery process.

“It’s been good. I really like where I’m at, the progress with the healing up and feeling better and dropping back and throwing and I like where I’m at,” Purdy said of his recovery, via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.

"We'll see. I like where I'm at. I am feeling a lot better,” he continued when asked if he plans to start on Sunday.

Based on comments from 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on Thursday, it appears Purdy is trending toward playing against the Jaguars in Week 4.

“Another day where he was able to get out there, do some stuff,” Shanahan said, via team insider David Bonilla. “I think it’s feeling better each day, and if that continues, he should be good on Sunday. But hopefully, that continues. It’s always delicate here with a toe. I saw him at practice. I haven’t got to talk to him since, but I think I’ll have a better feeling about that tomorrow morning.”

Purdy led the 49ers to victory in Week 1, throwing for 277 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions on 26 of 35 passing in the 17-13 win. Veteran backup Mac Jones made the start in each of San Francisco’s next two wins, recording 563 yards, four touchdowns and one interception on 53 of 80 passing.