Alabama Football: Minkah Fitzpatrick wins Thorpe and Bednarik Awards

Alabama football MVP, Minkah Fitzpatrick won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s best defensive back and the Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player.

Last weekend, the 2017 Alabama football players voted Minkah Fitzpatrick as their MVP. Thursday night, the college football world recognized Fitzpatrick with two national awards.

Minkah won the Thorpe award as the nation’s top defensive back and the Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player. Only two other players, Charles Woodson and Patrick Peterson had ever won both awards. Minkah is now the third to be so honored.

Next fall and winter when Minkah is plying his trade on NFL fields, he will be missed by his returning Alabama teammates. Fans will miss seeing him wearing No. 29 in crimson. Other Crimson Tiders will play the positions Minkah now plays. It is unlikely any of them will play all six Tide defensive back positions as Minkah does. He will go down as one of the Alabama football greats. And it very easily might not have happened.

Minkah is the first in his family to attend college. He was fortunate to gain a scholarship to attend a private Catholic school in Jersey City, New Jersey. The scholarship covered $10 thousand of the annual $13 thousand dollar cost of attendance.

Minkah offered to give up football after Hurricane Irene

His families’ home was damaged by flooding from Hurricane Irene and there was no flood insurance. Minkah’s mother worked, his sister worked and his dad worked three jobs so they could rebuild the house. Some months paying the extra tuition was a major problem. Minkah offered to quit football and go to work to help pay for the home rebuild. His parents would not let him quit football though he did odd jobs to earn some money.

If he had quit, who knows if he would have ever been seen on a college football field. Thanks to his determined parents and his own hard work Minkah found his way from New Jersey to Tuscaloosa. Asked why he chose Alabama, Minkah said,

"The main thing was the demand for excellence here. I feel like I’m kind of that way on myself and the people around me always demand the best. I demand the best every day, no matter what it is. And Coach Saban and the rest of the coaches, no matter who it is, they just kind of have that same mindset. If you’re not giving your best, you might as well not be doing anything at all."

Minkah’s expectation of Alabama football was not completely accurate. He was asked if he knew he would excel as an Alabama football player,

"I knew it was going to be hard, and I knew I was going to have to be really focused when I came in. When I actually got here, it was harder than I expected. I will say that. It was harder than I expected."

While celebrating awards, Minkah’s mind was on Clemson

On Thursday night, Minkah was asked his response to winning the two awards. His reply reported by  al.com, made a strong statement of why he is such a great player.

"I don’t think it’s hit me yet. My mind is elsewhere thinking about Clemson and getting back to my team."

Minkah Fitzpatrick is an exceptional young man, on and off the football field. Alabama football has had many deserving award winners in its storied football history. Ranking any one of them as the best is impossible. We can say Minkah Fitzpatrick belongs on any list of the best Alabama football players of this century.

Next: Tide Player Awards for the 2017 season

Minkah will not be in New York when the Heisman Trophy is awarded. Minkah’s Heisman votes were not enough for him to be invited to the ceremony. We doubt he is too disappointed. The young man is very focused on an upcoming game he does not intend to lose again.