Tag: Pat Freiermuth

Steelers TE speaks at appeal hearing for Chargers safety

Pat Freiermuth tried to help out Chargers S Derwin James.

This week the Los Angeles Chargers will be without star safety Derwin James. James is serving a one-game suspension for repeated violations concerning repeated hits that were deemed illegal by the league.

The hit in question that put it over the top for the NFL was a hit on Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth in Week Two. You can check out the play in the tweet below.

Freiermuth spoke at James’ appeal hearing on his behalf telling the NFL he did not believe the hit was dirty. The league listened but it did not sway them and James still must serve his one-game suspension.

https://twitter.com/_MLFootball/status/1839716133068280302

The Steelers understand how this can work. Safety Damontae Kazee was suspended for the final three games of the 2023 season after a hit on Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. which the league said was one of repeated violations. Kazee appealed but the suspension was upheld.

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Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth came to defense of suspended Chargers safety

Los Angeles Chargers’ Derwin James was denied in his appeal of a suspension stemming from a hit on Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth.

Two fines came from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 4 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers: Steelers tight end Darnell Washington and Chargers safety Derwin James.

Washington is appealing a $6,000 fine for an illegal crackback block, but there’s no word as to whether it was upheld.

James was suspended without pay for one game for “repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players” after lowering his head on a hit on Pat Freiermuth.

James did appeal the ruling but was denied. According to Pat McAfee, Freiermuth was on the appeal call and came to Derwin’s defense, saying he didn’t believe the hit to be dirty.

This marks James’ first suspension, but he was fined $65,565 in 2023 for unnecessary roughness penalties and hits to defenseless players.

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Jim Harbaugh voices disappointment over Derwin James’ one-game suspension

Jim Harbaugh is not pleased with Derwin James’ one-game suspension by the NFL.

Jim Harbaugh is not pleased with Derwin James’ one-game suspension by the NFL.

James was suspended by the league on Monday for a hit to Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth in the third quarter of the Chargers’ 20-10 loss this past Sunday. He was flagged for unnecessary roughness.

“There was not a defenseless player; [he] changed his course, and I thought that Derwin’s helmet was stiff-armed by Mr. Freiermuth,” Harbaugh said. “I thought [the stiff-arm] caused his head to make the contact and I thought the contact was first with the forearm, then the shoulder, then the head.”

James’s appeal was upheld by hearing officer Derrick Brooks, who is jointly appointed by the NFL and NFL Players’ Association. As a result, he will miss this weekend’s game against the Chiefs.

James has five unnecessary roughness penalties in his past 18 games, which are the most in the league by a defensive player. All were to the head with his shoulder or helmet.

Harbaugh said that James has made an effort to avoid these penalties.

“He has reached out on his own to officials this past summer to gain a better grasp of how they want it done,” he said. “And the evidence is right there in the tape. I mean, look at all his 20-some tackles on the season and he’s going out his way … so that he can not injure another player or hit him with the head. So yeah, I’m disappointed.”

While James is sidelined this weekend, Elijah Molden would be in line to start opposite Alohi Gilman. They also have AJ Finley and Tony Jefferson will likely be promoted from the practice squad.

Best photos of Penn State in the NFL, Week 1

Saquon Barkley put on a show in his debut with the Eagles. Other Penn State alums shined as well.

The NFL is back in session with Week 1 officially in the books at the next level. And it was a grand debut for former Penn State running back Saquon Barkley wiht his new team, the Philadelphia Eagles. Barley scored three touchdowns in his Eagles debut to help lead his new team to a victory over the Green Bay Packers in Brazil on Friday night.

Barkley lit up social media with his performance by becoming just the second player in franchise history to score three touchdowns in his Eagles debut. Barkley joined Terrell Owens in owning that distinction. In his entire time with the New York Giants, Barkley had two games in which he scored three touchdowns. It is safe to say things are off to a great start for Barkley in his new home.

Other former Nittany Lions were busy in action as the NFL got the year started off. Here are some of the best photos of former Nittany Lions around the NFL’s opening weekend.

Former Penn State player signs massive NFL contract extension

Pat Freiermuth remains a big part of the Steelers’ plans.

Throughout [autotag]Pat Freiermuth[/autotag]’s time with Penn State, just about everyone inside and outside the program knew he would be continuing his career at the professional ranks in the National Football League.

Coming in as a four-star recruit, he had massive shoes to fill after [autotag]Mike Gesicki[/autotag] left for the NFL after the 2017 season and had become one of the most prolific tight ends in Penn State’s history.

Freiermuth was able to step in and immediately produce, putting up 368 yards and eight touchdowns on 26 receptions in his true freshman year. By the time he turned professional ahead of the 2021 draft, the Massachusetts native set the all-time record for receiving touchdowns by a tight end (16) and had the third-most receiving yards by a Nittany Lions tight end (1,185).

One could only wonder what numbers he would have put up if he hadn’t been reduced to four games in the 2020 season because of an injury, but his body of work was enough to garner massive interest by NFL teams.

That resulted in him being selected in the second round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, keeping him in Pennsylvania with another legendary football operation.

Freiermuth was able to play with future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in his rookie year, catching 60 balls for 497 yards and seven scores.

And even though some of his production has dropped off a bit the past two seasons with totals of 1,040 yards and just four touchdowns, the Steelers think highly enough of him to lock him up with a lucrative contract extension.

ESPN reported he agreed to a four-year, $48.4 million extension to keep him in Pittsburgh during his prime seasons.

He could be inline for a monster year with the Steelers hiring offensive coordinator Arthur Smith who heavily features tight ends in his scheme, setting up perfectly for Freiermuth to be both a blocker and productive pass catcher.

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Steelers insider shares financials of Pat Feiermuth’s new contract

The Steelers wrapped up Pat Freiermuth’s new contract just days before the team’s first game.

Shortly after practice ended on Friday for the Pittsburgh Steelers, tight end Pat Freiermuth got the call in the locker room that the Steelers and his representatives had worked out a new five-year contract that has a full value of $49.88 million. This is according to Steelers beat writer Gerry Dulac.

In this case, Freiermuth had one year left on his deal so while it was called a four-year extension, they just tore up his old deal and created a new five-year contract making him one of the 10 highest-paid tight ends in the NFL. The contract includes $23.38 million in guaranteed money.

https://twitter.com/gerrydulac/status/1832110728322674828

The Steelers selected Freiermuth in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft. Freiermuth’s career best in receptions (63) and receiving yards (732) was in 2021. We expect him to be a significant part of the new Pittsburgh passing game with this new contract.

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Steelers sign TE Pat Freiermuth to huge new contract

The Steelers locked up starting tight end Pat Freiermuth.

According to NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport, the Pittsburgh Steelers and tight end Pat Freiermuth have agreed to a new four-year contract for the tight end with a total value of $48 million.

The new contract, as reported by Firemeuth’s representation comes just two days before the Steelers first regular-season game and the Steelers personal deadline for negotiating with free agents.

Freiermuth figures to be a huge part of the Steelers passing offense this season under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Friermuth has been underutilized throughout his career so this payday might be the sign the team is planning to make him a focal point of the passing game.

Earlier in the week the Steelers agreed to a new massive contract with defensive tackle Cam Heyward. Heyward and Freiermuth were the team’s top priorities but there are still several guys set to hit free agency in 2025 who don’t have new deals.

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Stats suggest Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth could open 2024 season on high note

PFF stats suggest Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth could open the season on a high note, if one player doesn’t rain on his parade.

Predictions and forecasts have been made, but no one truly knows what to expect from the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. Several coaching staff changes have made it nearly impossible.

One of the significant staff changes is coordinator Arthur Smith, who historically runs a tight-end friendly offensive. Pat Freiermuth will be the beneficiary if that’s how the season plays out.

Pro Football Focus stats suggest Freiermuth could open the season on a high note — if one player doesn’t rain on his parade. Strong safety Justin Simmons, who the Falcons added on Aug. 18, is one of the best at his position in reading quarterbacks and defending tight ends. Simmons is entering his ninth season, eight of which were with Russell Wilson‘s former Denver Broncos team.

An April tweet by former Steelers great Antonio Brown tied Simmons to the Black and Gold, but having DeShon Elliot on the roster made it a long shot.

https://twitter.com/PFF_Steelers/status/1830716255294124268

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Fantasy Football: 5 sleeper tight ends for 2024 NFL season

Taysom Hill averaged 9.1 PPG last season (ninth among tight ends), but he’s being drafted as TE21 this summer.

The 2024 NFL season will kick off this week when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night. The return of the NFL’s regular season also marks the return of fantasy football.

Ahead of Thursday’s opener, we’ve put together a quick list of sleeper tight ends for the 2024 season. Sleepers, for our purposes, are players we believe will finish higher than their average draft position (ADP) this fall. They’re not necessarily unknown players, but they are being undervalued by fantasy managers this offseason.

1. Dalton Schultz (ADP 125): Schultz finished as TE11 last season so his being drafted as TE13 isn’t a huge discrepancy, but he should prove to be a good value pick for fantasy managers who opt to wait to draft a TE.

2. T.J. Hockenson (ADP 126): Please understand that this is not a recommendation to overdraft Hockenson, who will miss at least the first four games of the season. Hockenson will eventually return from an ACL injury, though, and when he does, he could rank among the top fantasy TEs to close out the season. Drafting Hockenson late and stashing him on IR could pay dividends later in the year.

3. Pat Freiermuth (ADP 129): Freiermuth still hasn’t returned to the seven-touchdown production of his rookie season, and a five-game injury hurt his 2023 campaign. Now healthy again, he’ll look to outperform his TE15 ADP in 2024.

4. Taysom Hill (APD 151): Hill is a feast-or-famine fantasy prospect because a three-touchdown game could be followed up by a 12-yard game. Despite his up-and-down nature, Hill averaged 9.1 points per game last fall, which ranked ninth among TEs. He’s being drafted as TE21.

5. Greg Dulcich (ADP 239): It’s now or never for Denver’s former third-round pick. He missed seven games due to injuries as a rookie in 2022 and was unavailable for 15 games last fall. Now finally healthy, Dulcich will look to utilize his speed to make plays in Sean Payton’s offense that has been friendly to TEs in the past. Dulcich is being drafted as TE29 (undrafted in most leagues), so there’s no need to reach for him, but he could be an early-season waiver-wire target.

For more fantasy football coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.

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Giants urged to trade for dynamic Steelers tight end

The New York Giants are urged to trade for a dynamic tight end from the Pittsburgh Steelers deemed a “regular scoring threat.”

With the start of the 2024 NFL season just days away, teams are still toying with their rosters in hopes of getting the edge they need heading into the season.

In a recent piece for Bleacher Report, Alex Kay proposed one trade that each team should make before the season to fill a need. For the Giants, he selected Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth.

In return, the Giants would surrender a 2026 fifth-round pick. Sounds like a deal they could/should make but it’s unlikely.

The New York Giants were dealt a blow when tight end Darren Waller retired this offseason. Without the veteran in the lineup, Big Blue is set to lean on a pair of inexperienced options in Daniel Bellinger and rookie Theo Johnson.

While Bellinger has caught 55 balls for 523 yards and two scores over his first two NFL seasons and Johnson flashed some scoring chops at Penn State with seven touchdowns in 2023, there is a clear lack of pass-catching talent on this roster.

To address this issue, the G-Men should inquire about Pat Freiermuth’s availability. The Steelers have yet to extend the tight end’s contract, making him a potential free agent after the upcoming campaign.

While Freiermuth is coming off a down 2023 season—he notched a meager 32 receptions for 308 yards and two touchdowns—he’s only a year removed from a breakout 63-catch, 732-yard campaign. He also found pay dirt seven times as a rookie in 2021 and could re-emerge as a regular scoring threat if he lands with the Giants.

Considering Pittsburgh has Darnell Washington waiting in the wings, getting a Day 3 pick in return for Freiermuth could help the team during a critical 2025 offseason.

Freiermuth was a stud at Penn State before Johnson and was a highly-regarded prospect coming out as a second-round pick in 2021. He’s had a quiet career thus far even though he caught 122 passes in his first two seasons.

Last year, Freiermuth played in only 12 games due to a hamstring injury and caught just 32 passes. A lot of that also had to do with the Steelers’ quarterback issues.

The Giants could literally steal the 6-foot-5, 260-pound Freiermuth if they made this trade. He would undoubtedly add more talent to the tight end room which consists of Bellinger, Johnson, and Chris Manhertz.

But the Giants appear to be content with their current group and are betting that Johnson will blossom into a star. Plus, the Steelers would be ill-advised to give Freiermuth away.

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