The Steelers could have something really special in Pat Freiermuth.
For a franchise that boasts names like Eric Green and Heath Miller in its history, Freiermuth flashed all the potential of becoming the Steelers' next great tight end with a standout rookie season. The Penn State product caught 60 passes and scored seven touchdowns, setting a franchise record for most receptions by a rookie tight end. His seven scores tied Green's touchdown mark in 1990, another franchise record.
In case traditional numbers aren't enough for you, Freiermuth also led all tight ends with a +19.3 catch rate over expectation on tight-window throws, per NFL Next Gen Stats. In other words, if there's a 50-50 ball, odds are Freiermuth will come down with it. In fact, he expects to.
"Our motto in the tight end room -- and specifically mine -- is there's no 50-50 balls. It's 100-0 on our side," Freiermuth said. "And every time the ball's up in the air, it's a see-ball-get-ball mentality. So, I'm trying build on what I did last year."
Even outside the numbers, Freiermuth did plenty under the scrutiny of the good ol' eye test. Remember this sensational fourth-quarter touchdown on fourth-and-goal in Cleveland?
How about this one, showing the ability to go down and get an underthrown ball in crunch time?
With a year under his belt, Freiermuth could play a vital role in the offense this season. The receiving corps has gone through some serious turnover, leaving Diontae Johnson -- who is just now entering the final year of his rookie contract -- as the most experienced player in the group. While Freiermuth will be expected to help with the running game, his size and athleticism give the Steelers a unique and valuable target for the passing game.
"He makes those plays," Mason Rudolph said of Freiermuth. "I think everyone knows in the quarterback room if that guy's one-on-one, you'd like to give him a shot because he comes down with a lot of them."
That quarterback room has gone through a change not seen in nearly two decades. Ben Roethlisberger is now retired, leaving Rudolph, free-agent signing Mitch Trubisky and first-round pick Kenny Pickett competing for the opportunity to lead the offense when the Steelers open the 2022 campaign in Cincinnati against the defending AFC champions. As the Steelers move on from a future Hall of Famer, Freiermuth is embracing the challenge of establishing a strong connection with his future quarterback, whoever that may be.
"It's just open communication," Freiermuth said. "I think that's the biggest thing of bridging the gap between Ben and whoever's the new quarterback. It's just opening that communication, seeing what they see, and trying to make sure we're on the same page."
It's potentially a difficult dynamic for a young player. With Roethlisberger no longer under center, Matt Canada's offense is expected to operate differently. Freiermuth's ability to make contested catches aids the Steelers in not only attacking the middle of the opposing defense, but also pushing the ball deep down the field.
Freiermuth has dedicated time this offseason to expanding his route tree. More importantly, he's building rapport with not just one but a slew of quarterbacks, showing them his ability to break down coverages to either find or create open space. The most difficult area of the field to accomplish that is in the red zone, where the Steelers ranked in the bottom third of the NFL with a 54.72 touchdown percentage last season. In an age where analytics direct the narrative, Freiermuth's mentality for red zone success is quite simple.
"It's just going up there and getting the ball. Honestly, it's the biggest takeaway that I had been taught," Freiermuth said. "Obviously you can do all these certain routes and other concepts, but it's tight down there and defenses are obviously great all around the league. So they have ways to stop players that make plays in the endzone. But at the end of the day, you've gotta trust the quarterback to throw that thing up and go get it."
Despite his 60 catches and seven touchdowns, Freiermuth racked up only 497 yards and averaged only 8.2 yards-per-catch. Part of the problem could have been Roethlisberger's inability to throw the ball deep behind a struggling offensive line. Even so, Freiermuth is determined to improve that part of his game.
"I think early on in the season, I was just kind of in the flat and doing the shallow routes. I was just kind of being there for Ben on third down and stuff like that," Freiermuth said. "But I think as the season progressed, I think you saw, not only myself, but the coaches saw me feel more comfortable with catching the ball, making sure to break tackles and stuff like that. I just gotta keep building on that and making those short plays long."
Freiermuth is also heavily focusing on improving his conditioning to stay on the field longer and maintain his stamina throughout the grueling 17-game season. But perhaps the most important element of Freiermuth's presence isn't his ability to make difficult catches, but his willingness and desire to step forward as a leader.
"I mean, he made a lot of contested catches last year. I think he's gonna build on that. He already has," Rudolph said. "I think, from a leadership perspective, with him coming back and not having to go through all the firsts as a rookie, he's stepped up more as a leader. He's been more vocal."
Finding a player that can do the things that Freiermuth can do is an accomplishment in and of itself. But finding one who prides himself in becoming a leader in Year 2? It may be exactly what this Steelers team needs.
"He's grown up," Rudolph said. "That's what you would expect of a second-year player."
