Context matters. The context of a viral training camp video that suggested TE Pat Freiermuth was upset with QB Aaron Rodgers proves that wasn’t the case. Over the weekend, a clip surfaced of Freiermuth throwing up his hands during a 7-on-7 drill after Rodgers threw the ball to another receiver. In a video sent to The Pat McAfee Show, Freiermuth says the frustration was at himself. Not his quarterback.
“I was definitely not pouting,” Freiermuth said in the video. “I was pissed at myself, threw my hands up. I ran the wrong route, and I made the play look like shit. So I was throwing my hands up in frustration to myself. Definitely not showing up my quarterback.”
Shooting training camp video of competition (1 on 1, 7 on 7, and 11 on 11) is prohibited at practice and even in the bleachers, we don’t capture any clips that would run afoul of that. In the spirit of those rules, I won’t link the clip in question but it’s easy to find on social media. The context was of Freiermuth running an out-breaking route and tossing both hands in the air at the end of the play.
While Freiermuth could be trying to cover for himself and the team, his explanation also makes sense. It’d be unreasonable for a player to be frustrated about not getting the ball during one of training camp’s first practices, especially in a 7-on-7 period.
Freiermuth has spent the past two years focusing on his leadership and becoming a quality teammate. Last year, he cheered on and coached teammates as much as anyone. His leadership has been displayed in moments this year, too, coming over and talking to injured rookie TE DJ Thomas-Jones before he was carted off with a potentially serious injury. It would make true frustration at Rodgers out of character for Freiermuth.
Taking Freiermuth at his word, it’s why assumptions are tricky to make, especially in a training camp setting. Even in our notes, we stress the importance of context and circumstance. A pass rusher testing out a new move that he hasn’t mastered that could make his performance look worse than it’d otherwise be. A player gutting out an injury that impacts performance. A quarterback throwing up a jump ball just to see if his receiver is capable of making the play. Or a tight end showing frustration for screwing up a play, mad at himself instead of the narrative that ran wild.
