New Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson isn’t wasting time getting to work with his new teammates. Though the team won’t be on the field until next month, TE Pat Freiermuth revealed that Wilson has gotten together with a couple of Steelers players for on-field work already.
Appearing on the Onward State podcast, Freiermuth said he and a couple Steelers wideouts spent time training with Wilson out west.
“Being able to work out with the guys,” Freiermuth told the show. “I’m in San Diego right now working out with Russ and a couple of the receivers. So we’re building that on-field rapport as well as off.”
Freiermuth didn’t specify which receivers also attended. Pittsburgh’s wide receiver room has seen turnover similar, though not as extreme, as quarterback. Diontae Johnson was shipped to Carolina while Allen Robinson II was released, leaving two of the Steelers’ top three receivers to play elsewhere in 2024. In their place, the team signed Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins in free agency, though they figure to fill the starting spot opposite George Pickens with an early draft pick.
For Freiermuth, Wilson will be just the latest quarterback to catch passes from. Despite playing only three years in the league, he’s had a slew of different starting quarterbacks: Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Mitch Trubisky, and Kenny Pickett. Here’s how many passes Freiermuth’s caught from each.
Pat Freiermuth’s Career Receptions (By Quarterback)
Kenny Pickett: 64 receptions
Ben Roethlisberger: 55 receptions
Mitch Trubisky: 25 receptions
Mason Rudolph: 11 receptions
In 2024, Wilson will be added to that list. Perhaps so will Justin Fields, which wouldn’t be the first time the two were teammates, though the previous example was brief. Fields initially committed to play for Penn State, leading Freiermuth to be one of the first to show him around State College.
“Justin Fields was committed to us. I remember picking him up from the airport for Blue/White weekend…and then two days or two weeks later he decommitted,” he said.
This time, Fields advocated to land in Pittsburgh. He’ll open the spring as the backup though some analysts believe he’ll be in control of the starting spot by the time Week 1 rolls around. Regardless of quarterback, Freiermuth’s role will remain the same. A trusty target over the middle and someone who could make plays in the red zone in Arthur Smith’s offense, which likes to spread the ball around inside the 20.
It’s an important year for all the pieces involved. Wilson is looking to rebound after two tough years in Denver, Fields is starting anew in Pittsburgh, and Freiermuth is also searching for a bounce back after an injury-plagued 2023 season. The sooner this new-look offenses trains together, the better, and Wilson is clearly getting a jump on things.
Check out the whole podcast below.
