Steelers Tight End Pat Freiermuth Frustrated With Lack Of Snaps Versus Bills

One word that could describe the Pittsburgh Steelers at the moment would be "frustrating." After dropping five of their last seven games and falling to 6-6 following a 26-7 home loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, the team is struggling to find any answers as their playoff hopes are fading. Many players have voiced their concerns about the team's recent performances, as well as the team's direction, and adding to that growing sense of frustration is one player whose role has quietly diminished in recent weeks: tight end Pat Freiermuth.

Freiermuth has been considered as one of the best tight ends in the NFL since he was drafted out of Penn State in 2021, but 2025 has been by far his worst season in the league statistically. For a guy who’s usually a steady part of the offense, it’s been strange to see him almost vanish from the picture. Just a couple years ago, he was viewed as one of Pittsburgh’s young cornerstones on offense, and now it feels like he’s barely getting the chance to make an impact.

Freiermuth has caught only 26 passes this season for 298 yards, with the only bright spot on his stat sheet being his four receiving touchdowns. He certainly has had his moments, including a five-catch, 111-yard and two touchdown performance against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. Outside of that night, his role in the Pittsburgh offense has slowly diminished, and this past Sunday was an alarming example of that. Freiermuth only played a total of 17 snaps in Sunday's game vs Buffalo, not receiving a single target in those 17 snaps. In fact, he has only seen four targets in the last three games combined. 

While speaking to the media on Wednesday, Freiermuth expressed his feelings regarding his lack of involvement in the Steelers' passing attack.

"Obviously it's frustrating, but at the end of the day, I have complete faith in Arthur [Smith]. We have a good relationship and understanding what his thoughts were for the gameplan," Freiermuth said. "I don't lose too much sleep over it, I just got to be able to understand my role, and hopefully it changes going forward. We just got to be able to go out there and do what he's asking."

In Freiermuth's defense, nobody in the Steelers' receiving core is likely very pleased with how things have played out over the last two months. Other than their two matchups with Cincinnati, the Steelers haven’t topped 220 passing yards in a game since Week 6, and they haven’t had a single receiver hit the 100-yard mark during that stretch either. Those numbers pretty much speak for themselves, as it’s tough for any pass-catcher to stay productive when the entire offense can’t get off the ground.

The Steelers' offense has completely lost any source of energy and efficiency, and Freiermuth is feeling the brunt of it. He has been a reliable target ever since he arrived in Pittsburgh, but Sunday's gameplan had him nowhere near the action. For someone who usually thrives when he’s involved early and often, watching him stand on the sideline for most of the afternoon was just another reminder of how far the Steelers’ offense has drifted from what it used to be.

Steelers Tight End Darnell Washington's Emergence Has Impacted Freiermuth's Involvement

The emergence of Darnell Washington has definitely played a role in Freiermuth’s shrinking workload. While Freiermuth's snaps have decreased, Washington's have increased. Washington played 34 offensive snaps against Buffalo, and he has played more than 66% of the snaps on offense in four of the last five games. 

Washington has taken noticeable steps forward as both a blocker and a pass catcher, and the coaching staff seems intent on giving him more opportunities. His size and physicality make him valuable in heavy sets, and lately the Steelers have leaned more into that style of offense. 

As Washington’s role grows, Freiermuth’s snaps have taken a hit, and Sunday’s huge drop-off made that shift even more obvious. It’s clear the Steelers are trying to figure out how to balance both players, but right now, Freiermuth is the one losing out.

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