Fitzpatrick looking for long-term future with Dolphins

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — It has been about a month since Minkah Fitzpatrick was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Dolphins team that drafted him, and the All-Pro safety hopes to remain in Miami long term. Fitzpatrick spoke to reporters Monday for the first time since he returned to Miami, which drafted him in 2018 and traded him away at his request in 2019. He said his lack of public comment was not an expression of frustration with returning to the Dolphins. "My silence was not a reflection of how I felt about this team or this organization," Fitzpatrick said, adding that he would not take any questions about "Pittsburgh or previous coaches or anything like that." Fitzpatrick and the Dolphins agreed to a restructured contract on Sunday that moved $2 million from his 2026 salary to this upcoming season and converted some of his salary into a $16.2 million signing bonus. It gave him a raise to $17.5 million this season as his agent and the Dolphins continue to work toward a long-term deal. "I know it was reported that I wanted a new contract," Fitzpatrick said, "but I just wanted to know that I was going to be here for more than a season and I got that. And now, I'm going to go out there, play All-Pro, Pro Bowl level and hopefully earn the respect of my teammates and the organization to have that long-term contract." The Dolphins selected Fitzpatrick 11th overall in 2018, but the safety became displeased with his role under then-coach Brian Flores, requested a trade and was dealt to the Steelers a year after being drafted. Fitzpatrick quickly became one of the NFL's top safeties in Pittsburgh, making five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams during his time there. His new Dolphins teammates have praised his leadership in the short time he's been in Miami. He came up with the first interception of training camp on Saturday with an athletic pick of quarterback Zach Wilson. "Minkah is very quiet, but when he does talk, everybody listens," receiver Jaylen Waddle said. "He's got one of (those) personalities when he gets on the field — just got that dog, brings that energy. He's been here a couple days but it's just like the defense gravitates towards him. He made a crazy play today, so everybody got hyped. It's great." Dolphins sign another cornerback The Dolphins added more experience to their secondary Monday when they signed former Bengals and Steelers cornerback Mike Hilton. Hilton has made 56 starts in eight seasons with Pittsburgh (2017-20) and Cincinnati (2021-24), making 520 tackles (386 solo), 11 1/2 sacks and 13 interceptions, one returned for a touchdown. The 31-year-old had 73 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and an interception as one of the leaders of the Bengals' defense last season. "Playing against him in years past, he was the one guy in the defensive backfield that realistically and from a physicality standpoint, you're like, 'I wish they wouldn't be in nickel,'" Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. "'I wish he wouldn't be on the field. I wish they would have a linebacker on the field.' That's how convicted he would play and how physical he plays the game from the defensive back position." The Dolphins had already signed Jack Jones and Cornell Armstrong for depth after cornerback Artie Burns suffered a torn ACL on the first day of camp. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl