Pat Freiermuth Speaks out on Role in 2025 Steelers Offense
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Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth addressed his role on the team's 2025 offense.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the deepest tight end rooms in the NFL this season. That depth has enable the Steelers to use different formations to both run and pass in jumbo packages. But there is a downside to having more tight ends — it’s more mouths to feed, and the team’s No. 1 tight end, Pat Freiermuth, isn’t playing as much.
Through the first seven weeks of the 2025 NFL season, Freiermuth is playing significantly less. He’s lined up for 49% of the team’s offensive snaps. That’s down from the 69% of snaps he played on offense last year.
Even as a rookie, Freiermuth lined up for 62% of Pittsburgh’s offensive snaps in 2021. Before 2025, he’s been on the field for at least that amount every year since then.
But if the reduction in playing time bothers Freiermuth, he hasn’t shown it. The veteran tight end continued to preach his team-first attitude while speaking in an exclusive interview with Heavy Sports this week.
“I think having the right mentality, being a selfless player, being able to understand, it’s all about the win column. But as I’ve said, my time’s going to come and obviously it came against Cincinnati,” said Freiermuth on Tuesday.
“It’s going to continue to do that throughout the season. So you can look at it from game-to-game, and people can create narratives and stuff like that. But at the end of the day, it’s all about winning, and so anytime I can help contribute to team success, I’m all for it.”
Pat Freiermuth Fitting Into Steelers 2025 TE Plan
Freiermuth is still a dangerous pass-catcher when the Steelers use him as a route runner. As the tight end indicated, his opportunity came against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7.
Although it came in a losing effort, Freiermuth posted five catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns. His second score gave the Steelers the lead late in the fourth quarter.
But the team’s offense has deployed tight ends Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington for more snaps overall this season. Although that’s surprising given Freiermuth’s previous success, it’s been an effective strategy.
Washington gives the Steelers additional size to establish a running game. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has also used Spencer Anderson as a sixth offensive lineman for extra run protection.
“We have a lot of talent. Being able to execute the game plan that the coaches want us to, to attack the defense and their weaknesses, we’re able to get into heavy 12 and use Spencer as an extra offensive lineman with Darnell. That’s 1,000 pounds on that side of the ball,” said Freiermuth.
Anderson’s snap count increased significantly beginning in Week 4. Since then, the Steelers have averaged about 118 rushing yards per game.
How Much Does Darnell Washington Weigh?
Washington has become an effective run blocker for the Steelers because of his 6-foot-7 frame. The team lists Washington at 264 pounds, but it’s widely accepted that’s a vast underestimation of what he actually weighs.
Freiermuth kept Washington’s actually weight a mystery in his interview with Heavy Sports.
“I do have a clue, but I’m not gonna comment on it,” Freiermuth said while chuckling. “What is listed on the team’s website is not accurate, but I’m not gonna get specific.”
Interestingly, the Steelers list Freiermuth at 258 pounds. That just confirms Washington’s weight is significantly more than 264 pounds.
“Yes, on the official team website, I’m only eight pounds lighter,” Freiermuth said while continuing to smile. “I think when we stand next to each other, it’s easy to tell that’s not accurate.”
Steelers’ Pat Freiermuth Calling for Blood Drive Donations
Freiermuth takes a team approach off the field as well. This fall, he’s joined the battle against blood shortages in the United States.
The global health leader Abbott and the Big Ten Conference established “The We Give Blood Drive”, which is now in its second season. The blood drive is a competition among all 18 Big Ten schools.
Freiermuth is asking for Big Ten students, faculty, and alumni to donate blood for their school. He is especially pushing for Penn State students and alumni to make donations. Freiermuth played for the Nittany Lions from 2018-20.
The Big Ten school that donates the most blood will receive $1 million from Abbott to advance student and community health initiatives. The conference will announce the winning school at the Big Ten championship game on December 6.
“It’s super big because there’s a blood shortage,” Freiermuth said. “Every two seconds in the United States, people need blood. So this is obviously important. With the blood shortage, I’m encouraging people to donate blood.”
Donations will be accepted through December 5. To sign up to donate blood for a particular school, visit BigTen.Org/Abbott.
Stephen Jones Sends Bold Message on Cowboys’ Trade Deadline Plans
The Dallas Cowboys are all in on the 2025 NFL season. But they’ll also consider moving players off their roster to address areas of need.
Stephen Jones, the Cowboys executive vice president and CEO, addressed why the Cowboys would be considered both buyers and sellers ahead of the NFL Trade Deadline on Tuesday.
The Cowboys (3-4-1) are in second place in the NFC East and sit 2.5 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Eagles. They’re just 1.5 games back of the San Francisco 49ers for the final NFC playoff spot.
Dallas will host the Arizona Cardinals (2-5) on Monday Night Football mere hours before the 4 p.m. ET deadline.
Stephen Jones: ‘Sometimes Player For Player [Trades] Can Be Very Interesting’
The Cowboys have one of the best offenses in the NFL. They rank first in the NFL in passing-yards per game (263.8), second in yards per game (384.1) and points per game (30.8).
Yet, Dallas is middling due to its woeful defense. The Cowboys are 31st in the NFL in yards-against per game (404.6) and points-against per game (31.3) and have allowed at least 30 points in five of their eight games this season.
So Jones knows the Cowboys can use their strength on offense to potentially acquire defensive reinforcements.
“I think there’s a lot of things that go into us improving as a defense,” Jones told KTFM on Thursday. “If you can find a player that upgrades you, as I’ve always said, we’re always looking for that every year. Whether it’s by trade or whether it’s a player acquisition, it comes by a lot of shapes, forms and fashions.”
Cowboys fans may be incensed at the team’s scuffling defense, since the blockbuster Micah Parsons trade sapped the team of one of its most talented players. Still, according to Jones, there are deals to be made to improve.
“We have areas where we have depth, and sometimes player-for-player [trades] can be very interesting to us,” Jones said. “We’re also in consideration for giving up a player for us getting a pick and vice versa. It goes all ways.”
The Dallas Cowboys’ Game Against Arizona Is ‘A Big, Big Game’
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has never lost at AT&T Stadium, and Arizona has won three straight against Dallas dating back to 2020.
“What an amazing high-school career he had,” Jones said of Murray, who won three straight state championships while playing at Allen High School and also having a standout baseball career as well. “He’s just a competitor and a winner, and that’s our goal, to put that streak to an end. But I’m sure he’s going to have his competitive juices flowing coming back home to where all he won all those championships.”
Yet, the Cardinals have been struggling with five straight losses despite their minus-1 point differential. If the Cowboys have any illusions of making the playoffs in the much-improved NFC, Jones knows they’ll need to win at home — where they are 2-0-1 despite averaging 33 points per game.
“It’d be huge for us to get a win,” Jones said. “It’s a big, big game. I know it’s a big game for the Cardinals, but it’s a huge game for us as well.”
