The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into their bye week in Week 5 with a record of 3-1, and the group currently sits atop the AFC North as well. Pittsburgh has a two-game lead on the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns as both teams are 1-3, while the Cincinnati Bengals are 2-2 but look horrendous. The season has started perfectly for the Steelers despite the fact that things have gone a bit rocky on both sides of the ball. Pittsburgh is in good shape with how they stand in the NFL, and a win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4 helped that.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin during practice at the Carton House while the team was in Dublin, Ireland in 2025.
Pittsburgh took down the Vikings by a score of 24-21 during a game in Dublin, Ireland. They allowed the Vikings to come back after leading 21-6 at the end of the third quarter, but the group was able to hold onto the lead and secure the win. Had the Steelers choked the game away, a critical play would have been Pittsburgh giving up a blocked field goal in the second quarter. It was essentially a six-point swing as Minnesota kicked a field goal on their ensuing possession. Special Teams Coordinator Danny Smith spoke to the media on Tuesday, and he was asked about the block.
"It was just a lack of technique by a player," Smith said. "It was a good jump by an opposing player. He had great speed coming off the edge and he did a good job. More power to him, but it was a lack of technique on our part."
The player Smith is referring to is tight end Pat Freiermuth. He is the last guy on the left side of the formation in Pittsburgh's field goal setup, and a Minnesota defender was able to come flying off that edge for the block. He had a good jump, but he also swiped Freiermuth's arms down and got past him fairly easily, which is some of the poor technique that Smith was referring to.
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Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) and center Zach Frazier (54) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Freiermuth is typically a reliable player, but he has not gotten off to the best start to the 2025 season. That play on Sunday was unfortunate, and he also only played on 15 offensive snaps. His production has been minimal so far, but hopefully that improves as the season moves along. The tight end also spoke to the media, and he gave his perspective on the play.
"Yeah, I just missed the punch," Freiermuth said. "Definitely a play I want to get back. Just missed my hand. Credit to him, he's really good off the edge. Just dipped under my punch. I'll get better from it, learn from it. After the bye week, go into Cleveland and get it right."
The tight end obviously regrets the play, and thankfully it did not cost Pittsburgh too much in that game. Chris Boswell is one of the best kickers in the league, and every time he walks onto the field, it seems like automatic points. The blocking has to be on point so Boswell can execute.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Steelers' Lack Of Involvement For Pat Freiermuth Is Concerning
In Week 4, Pittsburgh placed an emphasis on running the football. This meant a lot of Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward, while Spencer Anderson also saw the field a good bit as an extra offensive lineman. This proved to work as the Steelers had their best day on the ground in 2025. Unfortunately, it meant Freiermuth was on the sideline for most of the game. This is concerning considering his contract, but it might just be an instance where that was the best game plan for that singular week. It will be interesting to see how he is used on offense after the bye week.
What do you think of and Freiermuth's thoughts on the play? Let us know in the comments below!
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