Pat Freiermuth was the favored target of Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback Russell Wilson in their 27-13 win against the Cleveland Browns.
Following the near-gametime decision to have George Pickens sit, the Steelers needed to spread the ball out a little more than they are used to. Scotty Miller and Mike Williams both got involved as well.
That being said, Freiermuth's 48 yards were a team best and he would cap off his performance with a memorable touchdown celebration.
Following his touchdown, Freiermuth punted the ball into the stands. When he was asked about in his postgame media availability, he made a reference to his teammate George Pickens.
“Someone had to get fined,” Freiermuth said. “My grandfather's probably pissed at me, but man, it's all good.”
Pickens has been fined $20,642 for his actions in the previous week, which was not the only week he had been fined. It has been a tumultuous season for the receiver, who has been unable to stay out of flag trouble the whole season. However, the receiver is having one of his best receiving seasons of his career, so it has been quite a roller coaster for the current top option for the Steelers.
According to the NFL rulebook, the first-time offense of kicking a ball into the stands in $7,878. After the performance that the Steelers had this week, the fine is probably not weighing super high on him. Freiermuth has not had the most productive season of his career, but he has not been relied on to be a top producer nearly as much as he has in years past.
Arthur Smith has revitalized an offense in Pittsburgh that has struggled for years. Now, the Steelers are a top team down the stretch as we get close to the playoffs.