The Miami Dolphins had just lost their second game to start the season and appeared to be well on their way to successfully tanking their 2019 season to maximize their draft compensation for 2020. The Pittsburgh Steelers had just suffered their second loss in a row, and had confirmed that their quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, would miss the remainder of the season. His replacement had thrown 19 passes in his career—all in the game Roethlisberger left following the first half.
Reportedly, that was the tie-breaker for the Dolphins’ front office. According to The Fan, Dolphins beat writer Armando Salguero, all of the teams who had ultimately contacted them regarding interest in acquiring Minkah Fitzpatrick, their second-year safety whom they drafted in the first round a year ago, had been willing to offer up a first-round pick as part of a package for acquiring them.