Mike Tomlin doesn’t hand out compliments like autographs. So when he drops one on social media, it’s louder than a Terrible Towel wave at Heinz Field. Pat Freiermuth, the Steelers’ 6’5”, 258-pound tight end, earned that nod not just for his 2024 stats (65 rec, 653 yds, 7 TDs), but for embodying what Tomlin demands: “You don’t survive in Pittsburgh without a little black-and-gold in your soul.”

“Good job, @patfreiermuth. Thanks to all those working hard to get things back up and running,” Steelers coach Tomlin posted on Instagram, his caption as succinct as a game-winning two-minute drill. The subject? Tight end Freiermuth, who swapped his playbook for a lunchbox last week, delivered meals to Pittsburgh’s frontline workers after a storm left the city in the dark. In a league where ‘Iron City’ isn’t just a beer but a mindset, Freiermuth’s gesture was pure yinzer poetry—a reminder that in Pittsburgh, football isn’t just played; it’s lived.

Freiermuth’s journey mirrors a ‘Rocky’ montage—minus the frozen meat. Drafted in 2021, he quickly became Big Ben’s safety blanket, then survived the QB carousel (Trubisky, Pickett, Fields) to ink a $48.4M extension this year. “I just see Pat out there working his tail off,” Tomlin said early on, his praise as rare as a Steelers losing season. Now, with a rebuilt offense and Russell Wilson slinging passes, Freiermuth’s more than a red-zone threat—he’s a culture carrier.

Tomlin’s Instagram post? A digital head nod. In Pittsburgh, where the 1970s Steel Curtain still casts a shadow, effort is currency. “There’s no gray area with Mike Tomlin,” Freiermuth once said. Translation: Hustle feeds legacy.

Lunch, Legacy, and Leukemia—Freiermuth’s Off-Field Hustle

While crushing drag routes, Freiermuth’s also been crushing it off-field. Last Thursday, he traded cleats for sneakers, handing out subs to utility crews restoring power post-storm. “These folks are the real MVPs,” he said, channeling his inner Leslie Knope (‘No one achieves anything alone’). But this wasn’t a one-off.

Since 2021, Freiermuth’s been Pittsburgh’s quiet superhero:

• Donating $5K to the Boys & Girls Club, where he once hung out as a kid.

• Surprising kids at UPMC Children’s Hospital with shopping sprees.

• Honoring his late high school teammate Reid Garrant (lost to leukemia) via custom cleats.

‘With great power comes great responsibility,’ Uncle Ben once told Spider-Man. For Freiermuth, that power is a 4.7 40-time and a platform. His 2023 Thanksgiving dinner giveaway? As clutch as his 57-yard catch against Cleveland.

In Pittsburgh, greatness isn’t measured in rings alone—it’s in how you lift the city that lifts you. Freiermuth gets it. Whether snagging one-handed grabs or handing out hoagies, he’s stitching himself into the Steelers’ tapestry, thread by thread. Tomlin’s “Good job” wasn’t just praise; it was a verse in Pittsburgh’s anthem—a song of grit, gravy fries, and guys like Muth, who know that in the 412, you don’t just play for the logo. You live for it.