With a new coaching staff in place and under the guidance of an offensive-minded head coach in Mike McCarthy, the Pittsburgh Steelers expect to improve offensively in 2026.
That improvement should come with an increased role in the passing game for veteran tight end Pat Freiermuth.
The 2025 season was a disappointment for Freiermuth, who saw his role reduced due to the presence of Jonnu Smith and the emergence of Darnell Washington into TE1 in Pittsburgh. But with McCarthy now in the mix, the expectation is that Freiermuth will become a key factor offensively once again.
According to the Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo, there is a desire within the organization to have Freiermuth more involved in 2026. If that happens, it could lead to a reduced role for Washington in the process.
“Interesting question. I do think Arthur Smith really valued Washington and what he brought to his offense. Brian Angelichio is a former TEs coach who maybe that bodes well for Washington, but we really won’t know until we get to camp and see what their plans are,” Fittipaldo said of the tight end situation in his weekly chat for the P-G. “I do know this: They signed Freiermuth to a big contract. I think there is a desire within that building to get more production from him, and that might mean a slightly reduced role for Washington.”
Last season, Washington emerged as the top tight end for the Steelers due to his work as a blocker. The team also unlocked him as a pass-catching weapon, taking advantage of the nightmare matchup he is for every defender on the field. As quarterback Aaron Rodgers said last season, the Steelers are a different offense when Washington is on the field.
Where the Steelers got tripped up, though, was with the usage of Smith, and the casting aside of Freiermuth for long stretches.
To Freiermuth’s credit, he never complained. He just put his head down, worked hard and was prepared for when his opportunities were presented. He did state after the season that he was frustrated with his lack of playing time and production, but that should change this season.
If McCarthy and new offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio can get Freiermuth back on track offensively, it will add another dimension to an offense that has plenty of weapons to work with. Of course, increased production and role for Freiermuth could lead to a reduced role for Washington in McCarthy’s West Coast offense.
But that’s a trade-off you have to take a risk on, if you want to be able to improve offensively in the passing game. We’ll see how things shake out at tight end in training camp with the first true look at the new offense in Pittsburgh, but things sound promising for Freiermuth.
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