Getty Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth addressed his hamstring injury ahead of the Week 7 match against the Los Angeles Rams.
Wide receiver Diontae Johnson already made it clear that he will make his return for the Pittsburgh Steelers during Week 7. On October 16, tight end Pat Freiermuth shared that he plans to do the same.
Freiermuth told reporters that the bye helped him recover from his hamstring injury. He also said he expects to play in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Rams.
Tight end Pat Freiermuth(hamstring) said he expects to play Sunday against the Rams. He said the bye was beneficial to his healing.
If Freiermuth and Johnson both return, the Steelers will be very close to having all of their offensive playmakers back on the field for the first time since Week 1.
Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth Recovering From Hamstring Injury
Freiermuth has dealt with a couple different injuries this season.
He exited Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers because of a chest injury. Freiermuth then had a hamstring issue that forced him from the Week 4 contest against the Houston Texans.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported that the hamstring ailment would sideline Freiermuth for 2-3 weeks. Because of the bye week, he will only miss one game if he returns on October 22.
Although his 2023 stats don’t suggest it, Freiermuth is a crucial part of Pittsburgh’s offense. He acts as a safety valve for young quarterback Kenny Pickett, who is struggling to find consistency this season.
In parts of four games during 2023, Freiermuth has 8 receptions for 53 yards. But 2 of his catches were touchdowns, which accounted for half of Pittsburgh’s offensive touchdowns through four weeks.
Last season, Freiermuth posted a career-best 63 catches for 732 receiving yards.
Other Steelers Use Bye Week to Get Healthier
Freiermuth isn’t the only Steelers player who apparently benefitted from the timing of the bye week.
Johnson was emphatic that he would return in Week 7.
“H*** yeah, I’m coming back [in Week 7]. I’ve been working my behind off these last three or four weeks,” Johnson told the media on October 10. “I feel completely great and healthy, so I’m ready for Monday when we come back and start getting back to work.”
Johnson remains on injured reserve, but he returned to practice on October 16. Running back Anthony McFarland Jr. returned to practice as well.
Like Johnson, McFarland suffered an injury in the season opener. McFarland only played 5 snaps on offense, but he made an impact on special teams, returning 3 kickoffs for 91 total yards.
Without McFarland, the Steelers have deployed Gunner Olszewski and Desmond King on the return team.
Olszewski has really struggled. He caught a ball that appeared to heading out of bounds on a kickoff against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2. Instead of starting at the 35-yard line, the mistake meant the Steelers started the drive at their 9-yard line.
Olszewski has also fumbled twice. He lost a fumble on a punt return in Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens.
In that matchup against Baltimore, the Steelers were missing two starting offensive linemen — left tackle Dan Moore Jr. and right guard James Daniels.
Moore told reporters on October 16 that he practiced and expects to play in Week 7.
His return will give the Steelers coaching staff an interesting decision. First-round rookie Broderick Jones played well in his first NFL start against the Ravens and could keep the starting left tackle role even if Moore is healthy.
On defense, defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal used the bye week to overcome his concussion symptoms. TribLive’s Joe Rutter reported on October 16 that Leal is no longer in the concussion protocol.
Steelers defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal is no longer in concussion protocol.