Steelers’ Pat Freiermuth Offers Message to Rest of the NFL

Getty Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth shared in a radio appearance how he feels about the team's offense heading into the 2023 season.

It’s been five years since the Pittsburgh Steelers finished in the top 10 in either points scored or offensive yards. But that could change in 2023, according to Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth.

The third-year tight end didn’t specifically address the team’s offensive stat goals for 2023. But while making an appearance on Randy Baumann and the DVE Morning Show on August 9, Freiermuth shared that there’s a “vibe change” around the team’s offense this offseason.

“From OTAs and now training camp, I think we could feel the vibe change,” Freiermuth said. “This is our year to get the offense going. Everyone’s stepped up to the plate, and I think everyone’s having a great camp so far.

“Just looking forward to getting to the season and these preseason games.”

Maturation of QB Kenny Pickett Expected in Pittsburgh

The biggest reason to be excited about Pittsburgh’s offense is obvious — quarterback Kenny Pickett. The 2022 first-round pick is entering his first full season as the team’s starter behind center.

Pickett didn’t finish his rookie season with stellar numbers, but he improved as the campaign went. He had 1 interception in his final 224 passing attempts.

In two of the team’s final three games last season, he also led the Steelers on game-winning drives in the two-minute drill late during the fourth quarter. Pickett threw game-winning touchdown passes in both instances.

Early this offseason, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin spoke about his expectations of continuing to see Pickett grow.

“I’m excited about Kenny individually in terms of the growth that he’s capable of making and, and what he’s willing to do to realize that,” Tomlin told reporters, via ESPN”s Brooke Pryor, at the league’s annual owners meetings in Phoenix in late March. “I think I’m probably more excited about that because I’ve just been around him intimately now for 12 months.

“There was some anticipation things because of the close proximity that we’ve all talked about quite a bit, but the reality of having worked with him for 12 months, it’s just more evidence of what we should be excited about — his willingness to work, his professional approach, his maturity in processing. It’s exciting.”

If Pickett takes a big step during his second season, the Steelers will have a good chance of finishing with one of the league’s top 20 offenses in terms of yards for the first time since 2018.

TE Pat Freiermuth Calling for More Offensive Execution

If the Steelers offense is going to be a lot better in 2023, though, it can’t just be Pickett who improves. Freiermuth made that clear during his radio appearance on August 9.

At the end of the 2022 season and for much of the offseason, Steelers fans have called for offensive coordinator Matt Canada to feature a more aggressive mindset as a play-caller. But Freiermuth placed the responsibility of the offense improving on the players.

“I think last year we had the shots down the field, and I think we had stuff to get the offense more explosive,” Freiermuth said. “I just think we weren’t executing it.

“There’s a lot of factors into that, but I think the majority of it was the players not executing what they were assigned and not making enough plays.”

It sounds like the tight end expects a lot more execution from his offensive teammates in 2023.