Getty Pittsburgh Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth reacts after catching a pass.
There are very few coaches in the NFL today who have the tenure and clout of Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. One of them is New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
Tenure and clout aside, if you ask Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth, Belichick isn’t a coach he’d ever want to play for — even if he has won four more Super Bowls than Tomlin.
On the January 10 episode of Off the Field with Aditi Kinhabwala, the topic of head coaches Freiermuth would want to play for came up. Kinkhabwala noted that Freiermuth grew up in New England — making Belichick an obvious choice.
“I’m not gonna lie, I wouldn’t wanna play for Coach Belichick,” Freiermuth quickly admitted.
“I’ve heard some of the stories,” he continued without offering details, only to say, “I’m good with not playing for him.”
Freiermuth ultimately answered Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills.
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Reporter Clarifies Pat Freiermuth ‘Wasn’t Ripping’ Bill Belichick
The podcast’s host, Aditi Kinkhabwala (hence the “with Aditi” part), was quick to add context when an NFL reporter tweeted two quotes from the interview.
Kinkhabwala replied, “This was a silly alternate-universe convo. One that included what position Pat would play if not TE. I said I’d want to play for John Harbaugh, I’d want my son to play for Doug Pederson & the only reason Bill Belichick came up is b/c I brought him up. Pat wasn’t ripping anyone!”
But Freiermuth saying “he heard stories” isn’t exactly a gold star on Belichick’s name. Not that he needs one — his work speaks for itself — but the Steelers’ tight end was taking a swipe at the 70-year-old coach. Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with Freiermuth stating he wouldn’t want to play for Belichick. Not all players want to. “The Patriot Way” isn’t for everyone.
Though Freiermuth said he wouldn’t want to play for Belichick, the Patriots head coach offered New England media a glowing scouting report on the Boston-area native during his September 14 Steelers preview press conference.
“Good player. Athletic kid, big target, catches the ball well, competitive blocker. He’s got good size, can cover some people on the end of the line of scrimmage. He’s done a good job for them. Had a couple of big plays last week (at Cincinnati).”
Not that Belichick would say anything bad about an opposing player in front of the press. He’s not a bulletin-board material kind of guy.
That’s okay, though. It goes without saying that Freiermuth likes it just fine playing for Tomlin. After all, Tomlin is the coach that most players want to play for. He’s a player’s coach, for better or for worse.
Oh, and he smiles more.
Pat Freiermuth Grew Up With the Patriots
Pat Freiermuth was immersed in the New England Patriots growing up. Like western Pennslyvania kids in the 1970s, as a kid of the 2000s hailing from New England meant you ate, slept and drank Patriots. After all, the early decades of the aughts were under Patriot rule and its star quarterback Tom Brady.
Freiermuth couldn’t escape comparisons to then-Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski in high school. With that, he started being called “Baby Gronk” for obvious reasons.
Former Penn State tight end and Steelers draft pick Pat Freiermuth says he hates the “Baby Gronk” name and hopes no one calls him that anymore
It followed him to Penn State, where he donned No. 87. A tight end wearing No. 87 and having a similar frame — Gronkonkowski at 6-foot-6, 268 pounds and Freiermuth at 6-foot-5, 251 pounds) and playing style as Gronkowski begs for comparison.
“It’s cool being compared to (Rob Gronkowski), but I’m not even close yet to being where he is,” Freiermuth said in a 2019 Boston Herald interview.
The Baby Gronk nickname that’s haunted him for a decade is one Freiermuth longed to shed once he entered the NFL.
“I hate it because I think it’s pretty annoying,” Freiermuth laughed in a May 2021 interview with Steelers media. “I’m trying to get away from that nickname. I don’t want to be called that,” he said with a smile and a wave of the hand.