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Pat Freiermuth
Pat Freiermuth
from Wikipedia

Patrick John Freiermuth (fryer-MOOTH; born October 25, 1998) is an American professional football tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions and was selected by the Steelers in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft.

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

A longtime resident of Merrimac, Massachusetts, Freiermuth attended Pentucket Regional High School in West Newbury, Massachusetts, before transferring to the Brooks School in North Andover, Massachusetts. At Brooks, he played tight end and outside linebacker on the football team, wearing jersey number eight. He also played basketball there as a power forward and a small forward.[1] During his career, he had 1,531 total yards and 24 total touchdowns.[2] A four-star recruit, he committed to Penn State University to play college football.[3]

College career

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As a freshman for the Nittany Lions in 2018, Freiermuth made nine starts and recorded 26 receptions for 368 yards and eight touchdowns, breaking the record of most receiving touchdowns by a freshman tight end.[4][5][6] He remained the starter for the next two seasons, was voted Penn State Football's Most Valuable Offensive Player in 2019, and was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine a year earlier. Although rumor said he would jump at this, he declined this chance, and in a press conference with Coach James Franklin announced that he had planned to recommit to Penn State for yet another year.[7] He played in a total of 30 games there, and started all but four of them. He scored sixteen career touchdowns, tied for eighth place overall at Penn State for career touchdowns and first place by a tight end. In the end, he had a total of 92 career receptions, 1,185 career receiving yards, and he was named the Big Ten Conference's Kwalick–Clark Tight End of the Year in 2020, making him the first ever Penn State tight end to win this award.[8] He was also voted first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches, and finished the season leading the conference for most receiving yards by a tight end.[9]

College statistics

[edit]
Season Team GP Receiving
Rec Yds Avg TD
2018 Penn State 12 26 368 14.2 8
2019 Penn State 13 43 507 11.8 7
2020 Penn State 4 23 310 13.5 1
Career 29 92 1,185 12.9 16

Professional career

[edit]
Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span
6 ft 5 in
(1.96 m)
251 lb
(114 kg)
32+12 in
(0.83 m)
9+78 in
(0.25 m)
All values from Pro Day[10][11]

2021 season

[edit]
Freiermuth during a game against the Cleveland Browns on October 31, 2021

Freiermuth was selected in the second round (55th overall) of the 2021 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers to replace tight end Vance McDonald, who retired after the 2020 season.[12] He signed a four-year rookie contract with Pittsburgh on May 25, 2021, and was assigned number 88, most famously worn by Hall of Fame receiver Lynn Swann. Freiermuth started his first NFL game in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills and recorded his first career reception for 24 yards.[9] He caught his first professional touchdown pass on September 26, 2021, as the Steelers lost to the Cincinnati Bengals when he caught a four yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger. On November 8, Freiermuth had one of his best game of the season, catching five passes on six targets for 43 yards and scoring two touchdowns as the Steelers defeated the Chicago Bears 29–27. The following week against the Detroit Lions, Freiermuth caught five passes for 31 yards in the only tied game of his professional career with a final score of 16–16.[13]

During the season, Freiermuth sustained two concussions.[14] The first happened in Week 12 during a 41–10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The second concussion was sustained in a 19–13 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 15.[15][16] He finished the regular season with 60 receptions for 497 yards and seven touchdowns.[17]

On January 16, 2022, Freiermuth played in his first post-season game of his career against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Wild Card Round of the 2021 playoffs. In the game, he caught four passes on five targets for 25 yards.[13]

During his rookie season, similar to former Steelers tight end Heath Miller, home crowds began chanting "Muth", an abbreviation of "Freiermuth", when he would gain yardage or score a touchdown.[18]

2022 season

[edit]

In the 2022 season, Freiermuth played in 16 regular season games, starting eight of them. Freiermuth finished the 2022 season catching 63 passes on 98 targets for 732 yards, the most of his professional career as of August 2024. He scored two touchdowns across all 16 games.[19]

2023 season

[edit]

On October 21, 2023, Freiermuth was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.[20] He was activated on November 18.[21] He would return to the team on November 19 against the Cleveland Browns.

Freiermuth had his statistically best game of the season on November 26 against the Cincinnati Bengals. He caught nine passes on 11 targets for 120 yards, the only game of the season in which he was able to eclipse 100+ receiving yards.[22]

He finished the 2023 regular season making 32 catches on 47 targets for 308 yards and two touchdowns, playing in 12 games and starting nine of them.[23]

In the second post season appearance of his professional career, Freiermuth caught five passes on eight targets for 76 yards in the AFC Wild Card Round against the Buffalo Bills. During the final minutes of the first quarter, Freiermuth caught a pass from quarterback Mason Rudolph before taking off down the sideline. He was tackled by Bills cornerback Christian Benford causing the ball to come loose before being recovered by linebacker Baylon Spector. Replay officials determined the fumble had rolled out of bounds due to the ball making contact with Freiermuth as he exited the field of play, giving possession back to the Steelers.[24] The game ended with the Steelers losing 31–17.[25]

2024 season

[edit]
Freiermuth during Steelers training camp

On September 6, 2024, Freiermuth signed a four-year, $48.4 million contract extension with the Steelers, keeping him with the team through the 2028 season.[26] He caught his first touchdown pass of the season on an eight yard pass from Justin Fields during Week 4's 27–24 Steelers loss to the Indianapolis Colts.[27][28]

In the final moments of Week 5's loss to the Cowboys, the Steelers needed to score a field goal to tie the game with less than ten seconds remaining. Moving downfield to get the ball into field goal range, Steelers receiver George Pickens caught a pass before stopping momentarily and lateraling the ball to Isaac Seumalo. After a series of lateral passes, Freiermuth caught the final pass from Fields before attempting to lateral back to Mason McCormick. The pass fell short of McCormick, being ruled a fumble, which was recovered by the Cowboys as time expired.[29]

Freiermuth ended the regular season having appeared in all 17 games making 65 receptions for 653 yards, seven touchdowns as the Steelers finished with a record of 10–7.[30] This gave Freiermuth the third playoff berth of his career as the Steelers entered as the sixth seeded team in the playoffs. During the AFC wildcard playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens, Freiermuth made three catches for 15 yards as the Steelers lost 28–14, ending their season.

2025 season

[edit]

With the acquisition of Jonnu Smith from the Miami Dolphins in June 2025, Freiermuth and Smith both shared the tight end one spot on the official depth chart released on August 5.[31] He made his first start of the season in Week 1's 34–32 win over the New York Jets. During the game, he made three catches on three targets for 23 yards.[32] On October 16's Thursday Night Football loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium, Freiermuth caught his first touchdown pass of the season on a 19 yard reception from quarterback Aaron Rodgers.[33] He finished his first prime time outing of the season as Pittsburgh's leading receiver, catching four passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns.[34] This was also Freiermuth's first game since November 8, 2021 in which he caught multiple touchdown passes in a single game.[13]

NFL career statistics

[edit]
Legend
Bold Career high

Regular season

[edit]
Year Team Games Receiving Fumbles
GP GS Rec Yds Y/R Lng TD Fum Lost
2021 PIT 16 9 60 497 8.3 24 7 1 1
2022 PIT 16 8 63 732 11.6 57 2 0 0
2023 PIT 12 9 32 308 9.6 29 2 0 0
2024 PIT 17 11 65 653 10.0 30 7 3 1
2025 PIT 15 6 35 372 10.6 68 4 0 0
Career 76 43 255 2,562 10.0 68 22 4 2

Postseason

[edit]
Year Team Games Receiving Fumbles
GP GS Rec Yds Y/R Lng TD Fum Lost
2021 PIT 1 1 4 25 6.3 9 0 0 0
2023 PIT 1 0 5 76 15.2 33 0 1 0
2024 PIT 1 1 3 15 5.0 9 0 0 0
Career 3 2 12 116 9.7 33 0 1 0

Personal life

[edit]

Freiermuth's uncle, Michael Foley, was a longtime college football coach, most recently as the offensive line coach for UMass.[35] His father, John Freiermuth, played basketball at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire[9] and in 1988 he was named New Hampshire's "Mr. Basketball."[36] His mom is a history teacher and former coach (fifteen seasons) for North Andover High School field hockey.[citation needed] She retired from coaching in 2007 after leading her team to two North sectional titles and a 147–85–66 record.[37] She was also president of the Penn State Football Parents Association.[7] His brother Tim played offensive line for Springfield College and is currently a high school football coach.[9][38]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Pat Freiermuth (born October 25, 1998) is an for the of the (). A native, he played at Penn State, where he established himself as one of the top tight ends in program history before being selected by the Steelers in the second round (55th overall) of the . As of the 2025 season, Freiermuth has appeared in 71 regular-season games with 40 starts, recording 243 receptions for 2,469 yards and 21 touchdowns, ranking among the franchise's most productive tight ends in their first five seasons. Freiermuth was born in , and grew up in the region, developing his athletic skills in both football and from a young age. He attended Pentucket Regional High School for his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to the in , where he repeated his sophomore year to focus on athletic development under coach Kevin McVeigh. At Brooks, Freiermuth excelled as a multi-sport standout, earning a reputation for his physicality and receiving ability that drew comparisons to legend , earning him the nickname "Baby Gronk." As a senior captain, he helped lead the Bishops to success on the gridiron while also contributing on the . During his three-year college career at Penn State (2018–2020), Freiermuth amassed 92 receptions for 1,185 yards and 16 touchdowns, tying for eighth in program history for career touchdown receptions by any player and setting the school record for tight ends. As a freshman in 2018, he burst onto the scene with 46 catches for 505 yards and a Big Ten-leading eight touchdown receptions among tight ends, earning Penn State's most valuable offensive player honors. In 2019, he recorded 29 receptions for 379 yards and four scores, securing second-team All-Big Ten honors while helping the Nittany Lions rank highly in scoring and passing efficiency. Limited to four games in 2020 due to a season-ending shoulder injury, Freiermuth still earned first-team All-Big Ten selection and the Big Ten Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year award, becoming the first Penn State tight end to win the honor. He also appeared on the John Mackey Award watch list and was named Mackey Tight End of the Week in 2019 after a standout performance. In the , Freiermuth quickly established himself as a reliable target for the Steelers, reaching 100 career receptions in just 25 games—the 10th-fastest in league history—and 1,000 receiving yards in 26 games, the fastest by a Steelers . His rookie season in 2021 featured 60 catches for 497 yards and seven touchdowns, setting a franchise record for tight end scores by a first-year player. Over the following seasons, he posted 63 receptions for 732 yards in , 32 for 308 yards in an injury-shortened 2023, and a career-high-tying seven touchdowns with 65 catches for 653 yards in 2024. Entering 2025 as a fifth-year pro, Freiermuth has continued his production with 23 receptions for 279 yards and three scores through ten games, including a two-touchdown performance against the in Week 7. Known for his blocking prowess and red-zone reliability, he remains a key component of Pittsburgh's offense under multiple quarterbacks.

Early life and personal background

Upbringing and education

Pat Freiermuth was born on October 25, 1998, in Merrimac, Massachusetts. Growing up in the small town of Merrimac, he developed an early passion for sports, influenced by his family's athletic heritage. Freiermuth began his high school education at Pentucket Regional High School in West Newbury, Massachusetts, where he played football and basketball as a freshman and sophomore. Seeking enhanced opportunities in football, he transferred to the Brooks School in North Andover after his sophomore year, repeating the 10th grade to align with the academic and athletic calendar. At Brooks, an independent preparatory school, he focused on football, playing both tight end and linebacker while continuing to excel in basketball, contributing to the team's 78-game winning streak over three seasons. Over his three-year varsity career at , Freiermuth amassed 1,531 total yards and accounted for 24 touchdowns, helping elevate the program's profile with back-to-back league titles in 2016 and 2017. His versatility and physicality on the field drew attention from college recruiters, leading to offers from programs including , , LSU, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. In August 2016, he committed to Penn State University, choosing the Nittany Lions for their strong tradition and development opportunities.

Family

Pat Freiermuth was raised in a sports-oriented household in , where athletics formed a core family value that encouraged his early multi-sport participation. His father, John Freiermuth, played basketball at St. Anselm College in and was named the state's "Mr. Basketball" in 1988, instilling a competitive drive in his son through shared athletic experiences. Pat's mother, Dianne Freiermuth, served as a longtime coach and later became president of the Penn State Football Parents Association, where she advocated for player safety and supported the team's return to play during the in 2020. His uncle, Mike Foley, a veteran football coach who served as head coach at from 1988 to 1992 and was involved with the program from 1981 to 2005, later served as offensive line coach at UConn and UMass, provided direct mentorship to Pat, including being the first to offer him a college scholarship during recruiting. The familial focus on education and sports, exemplified by both parents' backgrounds as educators, further shaped Pat's development, emphasizing discipline and passion for competition from a young age.

College career

Performance and achievements

Freiermuth redshirted his true freshman season in 2017 before emerging as a key contributor at tight end for Penn State over the next three years, appearing in 30 games and starting 26 of them from 2018 to 2020. As a redshirt freshman in 2018, he quickly established himself with 26 receptions for 368 yards and a team-high eight touchdowns, showcasing his red-zone reliability and earning freshman All-American honors from multiple outlets. In his campaign of 2019, Freiermuth built on that foundation with 43 receptions for 507 yards and seven , tying for third among Penn State tight ends in single-season touchdown receptions and contributing to the Nittany Lions' dynamic passing attack. His development highlighted improved route-running and contested-catch ability, as he ranked seventh in the Big Ten in touchdown receptions that year. Freiermuth's junior year in was abbreviated by a that limited him to four games, yet he still managed 23 receptions for 310 yards and one touchdown before undergoing surgery in November. Despite the shortened season, his impact was evident enough to earn him the Big Ten's Kwalick-Clark of the Year award, making him the first Penn State player to win the honor. Following the season, he declared for the . Throughout his college tenure, Freiermuth was praised for his blocking prowess and versatility, allowing him to line up inline, in the slot, or even as a lead blocker in Penn State's , where he helped protect the and create running lanes. Pre-draft evaluations highlighted his reliable hands, precise route-running, and overall completeness as a , projecting him as a second-round selection capable of immediate contributions in both the passing and run games.

Statistics

Pat Freiermuth redshirted his freshman year in 2017 at Penn State, recording no statistics. Over the following three seasons, he established himself as a key receiving , accumulating notable production in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. The following table summarizes his receiving statistics by year:
YearClassGames PlayedReceptionsReceiving YardsYards per ReceptionTouchdowns
2018FR132636814.28
2019SO134350711.87
2020JR42331013.51
Career Totals (2018–2020): 30 games played, 92 receptions, 1,185 receiving yards, 12.9 yards per reception, 16 touchdowns.

Professional career

2021 season

Freiermuth was selected by the in the second round (55th overall) of the out of Penn State, where he had established himself as a reliable prospect. He signed a four-year contract worth approximately $6.0 million, including a signing bonus of $1.75 million. As the team's primary following Vance McDonald's retirement, Freiermuth quickly integrated into the offense under quarterback . In his rookie season, Freiermuth appeared in all 16 regular-season games, making 10 starts, and recorded 60 receptions for 497 receiving yards and a team-leading 7 among tight ends. His debut came in Week 1 against the , where he hauled in 1 reception for 24 yards on his only target, contributing to the Steelers' 23-16 victory. Freiermuth's scoring prowess was evident early, as he notched his first touchdown in Week 3 against the , and he finished the year tied for third among rookie tight ends in touchdown receptions despite sharing targets with veteran . Freiermuth's season was not without challenges, as he suffered two s that affected his late-season performance. The first occurred in Week 12 during a loss to the , leading to a brief evaluation period, while the second came in Week 15 against the Las Vegas Raiders after a fourth-quarter catch, resulting in him missing practice time and entering concussion protocol ahead of Week 16. These injuries limited his explosiveness in the final weeks, though he played through them without missing games. In the Steelers' wild-card playoff matchup—a 42-21 loss to the —Freiermuth made his postseason debut, catching 4 passes for 25 yards on 5 targets. His campaign earned widespread recognition for its productivity, highlighting his potential as a red-zone and blocker in Pittsburgh's run-heavy scheme.

2022 season

In his sophomore season, Pat Freiermuth appeared in 16 games for the , starting seven of them, and recorded 63 receptions for 732 receiving yards and two touchdowns, marking career highs in receptions and yards. Building on his -year experience, he demonstrated improved consistency as a pass-catching within the Steelers' offense, which transitioned to quarterback starting in Week 4. Freiermuth emerged as a primary red-zone target for Pickett, leveraging his size and route-running ability to stretch the field and create mismatches against defenses. His most notable performance came in Week 7 against the , where he hauled in five receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns, including a 36-yard score that highlighted his role in the passing attack. Earlier in the season, he scored his first touchdown of the year in Week 2 against the , contributing to his development as a reliable option in scoring situations. Overall, he showcased durability, missing only one game due to a in Week 6 against the , but returning quickly without long-term effects. The Steelers finished the 2022 regular season with a 9-8 record but did not qualify for the , ending Freiermuth's campaign without postseason action. His 732 yards ranked him among the top tight ends league-wide in production, underscoring his growth into a key offensive contributor despite the team's inconsistent passing game.

2023 season

In 2023, his third NFL season, Pat Freiermuth appeared in 12 games with nine starts for the , recording 32 receptions for 308 receiving yards and two touchdowns. His production was hampered by a injury sustained during the Week 4 loss to the Texans on , which forced him to miss the subsequent five games after being placed on injured reserve on October 21. Freiermuth was activated from injured reserve on November 18 and returned for the Steelers' Week 12 matchup against the , contributing to a late-season surge that included three consecutive wins to close the regular season. This momentum helped Pittsburgh clinch an AFC wild card berth on January 7, 2024, following a Tennessee Titans victory over the . Despite the reduced volume from his prior seasons—where he exceeded 60 receptions—Freiermuth demonstrated efficiency in his routes, achieving a 68.1 when targeted. In the playoffs, Freiermuth recorded five receptions for 76 yards in the wild card round loss to the Buffalo Bills on January 15, 2024, marking the Steelers' only postseason game that year.

2024 season

In 2024, Pat Freiermuth enjoyed a breakout season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, playing in all 17 regular-season games and starting 11 of them while recording 65 receptions for 653 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns. Fully recovered from a hamstring injury that limited his play in 2023, Freiermuth established himself as a reliable option in the passing game, particularly in the red zone where his scoring output highlighted his development as a receiving threat. On September 6, 2024, the Steelers secured Freiermuth's long-term commitment with a four-year, $48.4 million contract extension, reflecting the team's confidence in his role within the offense. Under new Arthur Smith, who emphasized multiple-tight-end sets, Freiermuth emerged as a key target, benefiting from schemes that leveraged his blocking and route-running skills to create mismatches against defenses. Freiermuth reached a career milestone in 2024 by tying his rookie-year high in receptions with seven. In the , he appeared in the Steelers' AFC Wild Card loss to the on January 11, 2025, catching three passes for 15 yards.

2025 season

In June 2025, the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired Jonnu from the in a blockbuster trade that also involved Jalen heading to Pittsburgh and Minkah to Miami; Smith subsequently signed a one-year, $12 million contract extension with the Steelers. This addition created a tight end committee alongside Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, resulting in shared duties and fewer early-season targets for Freiermuth, who saw his snap percentage around 49% through the season. Freiermuth appeared in all 11 games through Week 11 of the 2025 season, recording 23 receptions for 279 yards and three touchdowns. These contributions brought his career totals to 243 receptions for 2,469 yards and 21 touchdowns. A highlight came on October 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals, where Freiermuth hauled in five catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Steelers in receiving; his 68-yard touchdown reception from Aaron Rodgers with 2:21 remaining in the fourth quarter narrowed the Bengals' lead to 30-31 in the eventual 33-31 loss. Freiermuth adapted to the committee approach by emphasizing blocking assignments against heavier defensive fronts, such as 4-3 schemes, where noted it was "unfair" to rely solely on him for those duties, while maintaining a role in third-down situations. The season remained ongoing as of November 20, 2025, with the Steelers holding a 6-4 record and the top spot in the , positioning them for playoff contention.

Professional statistics

Regular season

Pat Freiermuth has appeared in 71 regular-season games over his first five seasons with the , starting 40 of them. Through ten games of the 2025 season (as of Week 10), he has recorded 243 receptions for 2,469 yards and 21 touchdowns. The following table summarizes his regular-season receiving statistics year by year:
YearGames PlayedGames StartedReceptionsReceiving YardsTouchdowns
2021169604977
2022168637322
2023129323082
20241711656537
2025103232793
Career71402432,46921
Freiermuth's career averages include 10.2 yards per reception and 0.3 touchdowns per game. In 2024, he signed a four-year contract extension with the Steelers prior to the season.

Postseason

Pat Freiermuth has appeared in three postseason games during his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, all in the wild card round, where the team was eliminated each time. In total, he recorded 12 receptions for 116 yards and no touchdowns across these contests. His postseason debut came in the 2021 wild card playoff loss to the , a 42-21 defeat, during which Freiermuth caught four passes for 25 yards. The Steelers were unable to advance beyond the opening round. In the 2023 wild card matchup against the , which ended in a 31-17 loss, Freiermuth had his most productive playoff outing with five receptions for 76 yards, including a long of 33 yards. Pittsburgh again fell short of progression. Freiermuth's most recent postseason appearance was in the 2024 wild card game at the , a 28-14 loss that marked another first-round exit for the Steelers. He contributed three catches for 15 yards in that contest. Throughout these high-pressure games, Freiermuth has served as a reliable check-down option for Steelers quarterbacks, providing a consistent in the passing attack.
YearGameReceptionsYardsTouchdowns
2021Wild Card vs. Chiefs (L 21-42)4250
2023Wild Card vs. Bills (L 17-31)5760
2024Wild Card vs. Ravens (L 14-28)3150
Total121160

References

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