Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth is entering his fourth season in the league, and he’ll look to be among the reliable targets downfield by future Pro Football Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, who decided to stay in league for at least one more season by signing a one-year, $$13.65 million contract (including $10 million guaranteed) with the AFC North division franchise.
The former Penn State Nittany Lions star is coming off a decent season under the system of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, as he recorded 653 receiving yards and tied his career-high with seven touchdowns on 65 receptions and 78 targets.
Those numbers can all rise, given the profile of the Steelers’ new quarterback. Rodgers doesn’t have the wheels that Russell Wilson and Justin Fields have, which means increased passing volume can be expected for Pittsburgh in 2025 after being just 29th in the league in 2024 with 29.4 passes per game.
Will there be a breakout season for Pittsburgh Steelers’ Freiermuth in 2025?
Freiermuth could have a big 2025 season ahead, with Rodgers running the show from under center.
Although Rodgers isn’t the elite quarterback that he used to be, he’s still better than many other signal-callers in the league today. One year with Rodgers could rejuvenate the Steelers’ offense and help the players, including Freiermuth, have more confidence in themselves going forward.
As such, Curt Popejoy of Steelers Wire has Freiermuth listed as the Steelers’ breakout candidate in the coming season.
“Freiermuth led the Steelers with 65 receptions in 2024. However, this really didn’t move the meter much because the passing offense was awful, no matter whether it was Russell Wilson or Justin Fields at quarterback. But if there is any player who will benefit from the addition of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, it is Freiermuth. Rodgers won’t concern himself with not throwing to the middle of the field and historically, he has utilized the tight end position heavily during his time with the Green Bay Packers. With only DK Metcalf as a threatening weapon in the passing game at wide receiver, Freiermuth could be Rodgers’ No. 2 option all season long.”
