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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