New York Jets safety Mnkah Fitzpatrick might hear from the NFL this week, and over more than his hit on KC Concepcion during the win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 5, but his at least one opposing player let the All-Pro have it in real time.
“At that point, to me, it’s just personal,” Browns offensive tackle Dawand Jones said in the locker room after the game on October 11. “It’s just like, come on, dawg. It’s more than football at this point. Just being dirty at that point. I told him that s***’s not right. I call it how I see it, and some things ain’t football.”
Jones added, “I don’t know what it is with him and Cleveland, but um I don’t like it, and I told him to his face.”
He said he told Fitzpatrick “that s***’s f****** up” and that Fitzpatrick replied with “that’s football,” following the play, per Cleveland.com’s Dan Labbe.
Jones was not alone in his criticism of Fitzpatrick, with 92.3 The Fan’s Daryl Ruiter posting, “Minkah Fitzpatrick still up to his dirty tricks with a blow to the head of KC Concepcion. Concepcion is down and Fitzpatrick is trying to get dabbed up by his #Jets teammates for the hit. #Browns.”
BIGPLAY Cleveland Show’s McNeil (Chris McNeil) said Fitzpatrick should be out of the NFL.
Concepcion posted, “Yall know I’m good thanks to the lord and savior along with a picture of himself on Instagram following was Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot called an “illegal concussive blow the the head” from Fitzpatrick.
Browns head coach Todd Monken held a more measured view of the play, calling it “bang-bang” in sentiments some of Jones and Concepcion’s teammates echoed.
“Minkah’s been in this league a long time. He’s not a dirty player. I’ve never seen that out of him,” Monken said. “It’s a bang-bang play, and unfortunately it happened to our guy, and that’s part of the league.
“Not having K.C’s a part of it, but everybody’s missing players, it’s the NFL.”
Trouble Looms for Jets’ Minkah Fitzpatrick
Fines for hits on defenseless players can reach $17,911 for first offenses and $23,882 after that. Officials also flagged Fitzpatrick for a facemask before the hit. Those can incur fines as high as $11,941 (first) and $17,911 (second).
The real issue is that Fitzpatrick would have his first strike out of three possible in any single category. Two more and he will trigger an automatic one-game suspension.
He can appeal the fine and even get some money back if he avoids further infractions.
Again, though, that is if the NFL fines him. The NFL levies fines at its discretion. That means any potential fine(s) for Fitzpatrick could fall within or beyond the listed ranges for his infractions. His strike would also still carry over into future seasons.
Minkah Fitzpatrick Defends Aaron Glenn
Fitzpatrick used part of his postgame media availability to defend head coach Aaron Glenn’s decision to conduct a walkthrough rather than a traditional practice earlier this week.
“I mean, defense played 90 plays (against Chicago), some guys 90-plus,” Fitzpatrick said postgame, per The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt. “If you’re a fan complaining about us having a walkthrough, I’d like to see how you respond after 90-plus plays in an NFL game.”
Up next, Fitzpatrick and the Jets will face the New England Patriots on the road.
New York Jets Player Under Fire as NFL Punishment Looms