On the field, Pittsburgh Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth’s contributions have been limited. Held to eight receptions in four games, he’s on pace to have easily the quietest season of his career. His snap count has been reduced while big-bodied blocker Darnell Washington and sixth offensive lineman Spencer Anderson have taken his place. But Freiermuth played a role in creating a Steelers offense that looks cohesive, doing something for Aaron Rodgers that no other teammate had ever done before.
Earlier this week, NFL reporter and co-host of Good Morning Football Jamie Erdahl dropped this nugget of background information.
“We met with [Aaron Rodgers] as a broadcast crew the other day, and I’ll leave you guys with this,” Erdahl said. “One thing stood out to me was that in his years with the Packers and his short time with the Jets, he told us that oftentimes young players would come to him and say, ‘Hey man, let’s put a trip together and let’s throw.’ And Aaron was always open-minded to that. However, it never panned out in all of his years that he was with those two teams.
“It wasn’t until he arrived in Pittsburgh that Pat Freiermuth was the one who made the suggestion. And then the trip actually got executed to the point where we see them, we hear about them in Malibu, and we see them working out at UCLA. So it is pretty cool in all of his years playing that he was willing to, but finally it ‘took’ for this offense.”
Presumably, this conversation took place before Pittsburgh’s Dublin game against the Minnesota Vikings. NFL Network covered the game with Erdahl serving as sideline reporter.
Once Rodgers ended his three-month will-he-won’t-he, signed with the Steelers, and spent a few days of minicamp with the team, a select group of receivers joined Rodgers at his Malibu home. Wide receivers DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek, Scotty Miller, and Freiermuth spent a few hours getting on-field reps with Rodgers. The group spent plenty of time away from football, getting a jumpstart on the team bonding, which the close confines of training camp further provided.
It sounds like Freiermuth was the travel agent for the group. While it’s easy to wish and imagine an offseason workout, as many evidently did before Freiermuth, it requires logistics and planning. Getting the group together, creating the schedule, and keeping plans during a time of year when teammates are all over the country. Freiermuth stepped up and made it happen. It’s astounding he was the first in Rodgers’ 21-year career.
Actions like these follow his growth and maturation. Beginning in 2024’s training camp, Freiermuth focused on becoming an offensive leader. That meant supporting and celebrating with teammates when they made big plays or checking in on an injury (there was one distinct moment when Freiermuth sat with injured rookie DJ Thomas-Jones for several moments early in camp this year). Freiermuth has grown up in Pittsburgh. He also started the Pat Freiermuth Foundation this September, following the footsteps of Cam Heyward, Alex Highsmith, and others.
A couple of days in California isn’t the reason why Pittsburgh is 4-1. That trip was only attended by a handful of players, anyway. But it demonstrates the greater idea of the Steelers playing as a team this year. Freiermuth has embodied that well. While he’s spent more time on the sidelines than ever before, he hasn’t complained, trusted the coaches, and has continued celebrating teammates making plays in his place. Freiermuth’s production must increase to justify his contract, but he’s doing everything behind the scenes well.
