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How Steelers' Minkah Fitzpatrick Learned He Had Appendicitis

A story Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick bravely shares.

Noah Strackbein

In this story:

PITTSBURGH -- It wasn't the best story to tell in front of a bunch of TV cameras. Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick will admit that. But he still detailed his discovery of appendicitis just 24 hours before kickoff against the New Orleans Saints.

Fitzpatrick said he started to feel his stomach was upset on Thursday but didn't say anything until Saturday when he realized he hadn't gone to the bathroom in a few days. So, team doctors gave him medicine to help, and after some time, determined he should see a doctor. 

"Friday I was fine. Saturday during walk through I felt fine. The only reason I told the trainers is because I couldn't use the bathroom," Fitzpatrick laughed, admitting the embarrassment of telling a bunch of reporters the story. "They gave me medicine to go, I went, and then I still felt pain. I went and got scanned and I was on the operating table like 20 minutes later."

Fitzpatrick had no clue what could've been wrong with him, and didn't believe anything serious was happening when the symptoms arrived. 

He missed Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints and has not done anything besides cardio on the sideline during the practice week. That being said, he's still a candidate to return by the game against the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend. 

That precaution will be more based on the amount of strain he can put on the muscle that underwent surgery. 

"The worry is where the cut opened. They cut through muscle to get into your stomach," Fitzpatrick. "So you just want to make sure that heals properly before you go out there."

Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said Fitzpatrick will play if cleared by kickoff, even if he doesn't practice. As of now, the door for him to be active is still wide open.

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Noah Strackbein
NOAH STRACKBEIN

Noah is the Publisher for All Steelers, Inside the Panthers (InsideThePanthers.com) and Inside the Penguins (InsidethePenguins.com), and is the host of All Steelers Talk (YouTube.com/AllSteelersTalk). A Scranton native, Noah made his way to the Pittsburgh sports scene in 2017. Now, he's pretty much full-yinzer.

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