Just before the 2024 season began, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Pat Freiermuth to a four-year, $48 million contract extension. It was a number high enough that some thought the Steelers might have actually committed too much money to the tight end.
Freiermuth played all 17 games in 2024 and had a nice season with 653 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. With Aaron Rodgers leading the unit in 2025, Freiermuth was expected to continue to be a focal point of the offense.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. For a myriad of reasons, Freiermuth saw his targets, and thus his production, drop by a decent amount. However, Steelers GM Omar Khan doesn’t foresee that happening again in 2026.
“Well, you know, we paid Pat for a reason. And we expect him to be a big part of the offense in general. The new coaching staff likes him. They’re excited to work with him. He represents us well, and you know, Pat’s a Steeler,” Khan said Tuesday during a podium session at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Freiermuth was too often an afterthought last season in a passing game that lacked playmakers. After finishing the 2024 season with 78 targets and 65 receptions, he had just 54 and 41, respectively, in 2025. He was still solid with 11.9 yards per catch. But he finished with just 486 receiving yards and four touchdowns. It wasn’t his fault, but that isn’t the production the Steelers were hoping for, considering his price tag.
One major factor was the offense’s rhythm throughout the year. There certainly were times in which Pittsburgh felt stuck in its ways offensively. That included a ridiculous amount of touches for Jonnu Smith. Despite putting together a bad year (which is a nice way to describe it), he consistently got touches.
Arthur Smith’s obsession with Jonnu Smith and the emergence of Darnell Washington each cost Pat Freiermuth playing time. After being on the field for 69 percent of the offensive snaps in 2024, Freiermuth saw that number drop to 51 percent in 2025. It was easily the lowest percentage of his career. There were only eight games in which Freiermuth saw at least four targets. And there were four games in which he had either just one target or none at all.
Smith remains a cut candidate, which could lead to more opportunities for Freiermuth. But either way, the Steelers just have to get him involved more. The offense will be different with Mike McCarthy and Brian Angelichio leading it, which could provide a new jolt for Freiermuth. After all, Khan mentioned the new coaching staff’s appreciation for him. And even though Aaron Rodgers didn’t give him a ton of looks last season, the two have a year of familiarity with one another if Rodgers does return to Pittsburgh.
Two seasons into his contract extension, Pat Freiermuth hasn’t really had a chance to deliver the results the Steelers were hoping for. On the bright side, Khan is expecting that to be different in 2026.
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