When Arthur Smith signed up with the Pittsburgh Steelers back in February 2024 as the new offensive coordinator, veteran tight end Pat Freiermuth felt it was going to be a great addition. “My agent is really close with [Arthur Smith], and he said, ‘Dude, you’re going to love him,’” Freiermuth had said. “‘The offense is sick towards tight ends.’” But fast-forward to December 2025, and that old promise feels like a cruel joke.

Freiermuth has played just 48% of offensive snaps this season, down from a career-high 69% last season. He’s been relegated to third on the depth chart behind Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington, logging only 17 snaps in the Week 13 loss to the Buffalo Bills. And Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo sees that something is off between the tight end and his OC.

“For whatever reason, Arthur Smith doesn’t believe Pat can help this football team,” Fittipaldo said on 93.7 The Fan. 

This isn’t the first time Ray Fittipaldo has hinted at the tensions between Pat and Arthur. In a previous edition of 93.7 The Fan, he had noted that after the 2025 season is done, one of the two will probably be leaving Pittsburgh for good.

“Coaches have guys they’re comfortable with, their favorites,” Fittipaldo had said. “But for it to happen when they’re paying him all that money, it’s a very strange thing and it’s going to be one of those top stories of the offseason. Cause to me, at this point, either Freiermuth has to go or Arthur Smith has to go. I don’t see it continuing beyond this season.”

The tension is baffling, given Pat Freiermuth’s contract and proven ability. Pat is on a 4-year, $48.4 million extension he signed last season. Against that paycheck, his second-highest receiving total this season is just 33 yards, a stark contrast to his 111-yard performance against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7.

Despite the swirling narratives around him, Pat Freiermuth is still vouching for Arthur Smith. “Obviously, it’s frustrating,” Freiermuth said about his decreased workload recently. “But at the end of the day, I have complete faith in Arthur. We have a good relationship. – Just got to be able to understand my role, and hopefully it changes going forward.”

But the Steelers’ TE room is too crowded. And Arthur Smith is just shuffling his packages to give the spotlight to everyone. “If you look at the flip side of it, the context is that the tight end room, you mash up Pat, Darnell and Jonnu, you don’t have anybody sitting there with 65, 70 receptions,” Smith noted. “But the emergence of Darnell and Kenny [Gainwell], there is give and take.”

Pittsburgh faces nothing short of a balancing act in rotating its tight ends. It looks like the carousel will keep spinning till the end of the season. After that, as Fittipaldo believes, something could change. But a chaotic tight-end room isn’t the only question mark in Steel City right now. Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ recent comments after the Bills’ loss have sparked quite the controversy in media circles.

Media battle around Aaron Rodgers’ comments

After the Bills wiped out the Steelers with a 26-7 victory, Aaron Rodgers appeared to criticize his teammates, suggesting some of his receivers might have skipped film review sessions and weren’t on the page with the routes he prepares for them. The comment alone was enough to raise eyebrows, but what followed turned into a full-blown media feud.

ESPN’s Brooke Pryor asked Rodgers about his remarks during Wednesday’s press conference. However, when the Steelers released edited footage excluding Rodgers’ response, PFT’s Mike Florio aimed at the Pittsburgh beat.

Top Stories

Bills Legend Jim Kelly Announces Final Cancer Update After Years of Battle

Brian Schottenheimer Blames Locker Room for Loss After Pointing Fingers at Cowboys QB

Calls Mount Against Refs’ Controversial Decision Involving Dak Prescott in Cowboys vs Lions TNF Game

Dak Prescott Faces NFL Discipline After Doubling Down on Referees Over Cowboys Penalties

Jared Goff Makes Bold Super Bowl Promise After Lions’ Win

“On Sunday, Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers capped his post-game press conference by implying some players aren’t showing up for film sessions. On Wednesday, reporters asked no questions about his comments,” Florio posted on X.

Pryor fired back immediately, noting that she had indeed asked Rodgers about his post-game comments and the quarterback had answered. Pryor uploaded a clip of her exchange with Rodgers in response to Florio’s remark and added her own scathing response.

“That’s incorrect. I asked and he answered. Here’s the exchange,” Pryor shot back. “As reporters, we’re supposed to trust but verify–and check with multiple sources before going with something. PFT checked one source and didn’t bother to verify with any number of outlets covering them. That’s lazy and wrong.”

But Florio wasn’t backing down. He then took a shot at the Steelers, noting that they shared the edited clip “with the goal of concealing the question” instead of making it easily available to everyone. He further added that Pryor’s question didn’t “sufficiently address the bushel of low-hanging fruit Rodgers dropped.”

While the feud is likely to carry on, Pittsburgh suddenly finds itself at a crossroads, far removed from the media feud. The Pat Freiermuth-Arthur Smith dysfunction represents a deep issue about scheme fit and organizational alignment. On the other hand, Rodgers’ comments explore potential fractures in team chemistry. Altogether, they paint the picture of a franchise facing critical questions before the playoffs and, ultimately, next offseason. For now, we wait for answers.