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To answer the OP's question directly:
What actually happens (almost always) to an FMJ bullet, as it strikes a steel plate target, is that it breaks up. It literally flattens, the jacket splits and often fragments... and the material "pancakes" against the steel plate.
However, "spall", which is the proper term for bits and pieces of the fragmented bullet core or jacket, CAN sometimes ricochet back at the shooter, or others nearby. I have received a (very) minor cut on the hand from spall - which came from a steel plate target (used by another shooter) to my right.
Spall is generally not a great danger, though, as the velocity of such fragments is fairly low and the probability of it coming back at you decreases greatly with distance and the angle (the closer you are to directly in front of the plate, the less chance of spall coming back). However, as with anything shooting related, strict safety rules should be observed, such as ALWAYS wearing protective eyewear.
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