Proof Pittsburgh Views Pat Freiermuth As A Backup

It’s no secret that TE Pat Freiermuth has struggled to find time in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ lineup. Even in Arthur Smith’s tight end-heavy world, Freiermuth has drawn the short straw. That proof exists in plenty of places, but perhaps no moment is so obvious as the end of Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills.

After a Bills’ field goal to make it 26-7, the Steelers’ offense took the field for three final snaps. Meaningless and uneventful. Two runs by rookie RB Kaleb Johnson, one incompletion by QB Mason Rudolph. Everyone simply ran out the clock.

Pittsburgh knew it, too. The Steelers pulled key starters and played as many backups as they could. Those removed? QB Aaron Rodgers, WR DK Metcalf, RB Jaylen Warren, RB Kenneth Gainwell, TE Darnell Washington, and OG Isaac Seumalo. Most of the offensive line stayed in only because there are only so many players who can be pulled along with LT Andrus Peat making his first start of the year. It’s also still largely a young group that could use reps – especially on a night in which Pittsburgh ran just 43 plays.

The tight end who took the field? Pat Freiermuth.

Pittsburgh used him instead of Washington. Instead of Jonnu Smith, who continues to out-snap him. And so three of Freiermuth’s measly 17 total snaps took place with the game over. He played alongside other backups getting mop-up time like Johnson, WR Ke’Shawn Williams, and Spencer Anderson, playing true guard in relief of Seumalo. You’ve heard of stat padding. This was snap padding.

That signal is loud and clear. Freiermuth is a backup.

It’s far from the only one. Freiermuth has played half or fewer than half of the offensive snaps in each of the last six games, including Sunday. He has logged more than 50 percent only twice – Week 3 against New England and Week 7 against Cincinnati. By percentage, seven of his lowest nine snap counts of his now five-year career have come in 2025. The other two occurred during his rookie season. Compare that to Smith, who has played more than half the snaps in nine games this year. That’s still more than Darnell Washington, who has only breached 50 percent seven times.

In his last four games, Freiermuth has just seven total targets. He did not receive one against the Bills. To put that in perspective, here’s a list of players around the NFL with more targets over that span: TE Jeremy Ruckert, WR Mason Tipton, WR Gabe Davis, WR Austin Trammel, TE Michael Mayer, and WR David Sills V. Seven of Freiermuth’s teammates, including Washington and Smith, have received more targets.

Washington emerging as the starting tight end is smart. It was an overdue move, and Pittsburgh has smartly course-corrected. That’s not the issue. But Freiermuth playing behind Smith is confounding. Even knowing it’s not Freiermuth’s strength, Smith is not the better run blocker. Smith and Rodgers have zero chemistry and haven’t been on the same page all year. Freiermuth is younger with better hands and, on paper, a longer-term outlook.

Arthur Smith has a long history with Smith and was a driver in the Steelers trading for him in June. But he worked with Freiermuth all last season and the results are the results. Smith isn’t getting the job done.

Mike Tomlin has touted Freiermuth’s big game against Cincinnati when pressed as to why he hasn’t been more involved. But that was the only loud game of the season. He has been held to no more than three receptions and 33 yards in all the other 11 contests.

“We’ve got a lot of capable guys that we have a lot of confidence in,” Tomlin said during Tuesday’s press conference. “Pat is certainly one of them. The ball didn’t bounce his way a week ago, but certainly, he’s a viable option for us and one that’s strongly considered as we work this week.”

Credit to Freiermuth. He’s been a great teammate in what has unquestionably been a difficult season. He has emerged as a leader in the tight end room and a member of the Pittsburgh community. Freiermuth opened his foundation and was named the team’s Art Rooney Sportsmanship nominee. He hasn’t publicly complained once about role or playing time.

But even as the entire team, players and coaches, repeat the need to give him the football, it’s clear the Steelers have little appetite. He is the third-string tight end. That should change, that needs to change, but Sunday’s late-game actions spoke with crystal clarity.