Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth could have a bigger role in the offense under head coach Mike McCarthy, with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Freiermuth discussed the changes to his role and explained how the team’s offseason workouts offered an early look at the coaching staff’s plans for the tight end group. In the process of all this, he has taken his share of heat from Aaron Rodgers over their two seasons together, and the Pittsburgh Steelers tight end can now laugh about it.
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Freiermuth joked about being called out by his quarterback, but he explained the criticism comes with a purpose: “I’ve been on a couple ends of the a– chewings from Aaron; it’s definitely not fun,” Freiermuth said during a Tuesday appearance on the Pat McAfee Show.
“Definitely don’t recommend it for anyone that comes into Pittsburgh. But it’s all out of love; it’s all because he wants the best for you. He sees something on the defense that he thinks he can exploit, and if you’re the guy that he asks to call on that situation, he expects you to be there on time. It’s definitely tough to get on that same page as him, but once you do, the sky’s the limit.”
Pat Freiermuth was a second-round pick in 2021, and he’s been a reliable target for the Steelers ever since. Sunday’s 34-22 win over the Indianapolis Colts was another good example.
He caught five passes for 44 yards and two touchdowns, and he now has 19 receptions for 169 yards and four scores through five games.
Christopher Carter, who covers the Steelers and talked about it on his Locked on Steelers podcast, pointed out that those two touchdowns pushed Freiermuth’s red zone receiving touchdown total to four this season.
Only Jackson Smith-Njigba has more, and Freiermuth sits level with Amon-Ra St. Brown for second place in the league.
None of this happened by accident. Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers have clearly decided to lean on heavy personnel to create problems for defenses. Pittsburgh has been lining up in 13 personnel and moving Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, and MyCole Pruitt around, with Jaylen Warren in the backfield. Defenses simply don’t have easy answers for that kind of look.
The players feel it too.
“I think selfishly me and Darn are the best tight end duel in the NFL,” Freiermuth said after the win. “And anytime we can go out there and utilize our skill sets to the best of our abilities, I think we have a pretty good chance to win the game on offense.”
Rodgers, for his part, has never been shy about saying what’s on his mind. He shows his emotions openly, on the field and off it. That came through against the Browns, when he and McCarthy went back and forth over a play call, each raising their voices at the other.
Freiermuth was asked about that dynamic as well.
“There’s a different relationship between him and coach McCarthy,” he said. “They’ve been together for so many years, so we don’t really bat an eye. They have their little relationship that they like to have and do all that, so we just kind of keep it pushing.”
If Rodgers and McCarthy keep building the offense around these tight end matchups, Pittsburgh’s red zone struggles from earlier in the year could turn into one of its biggest strengths.