The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2025 season came to a close on Monday night as the team suffered another embarrassing playoff loss. This time around, the loss came at the hands of the Houston Texans, and the fan base in Pittsburgh is going to want to have a lot of questions answered after a rollercoaster of a season. The main question is going to be the job status of Head Coach Mike Tomlin and whether or not he will be back in 2026, while Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith will likely start to feel his seat get warm after only putting up six points in a playoff game.
Benjamin B. Braun / Post-Gazette
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin and Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith celebrate together by shaking hands after the game following a hard-fought win.
Smith has mostly done a good job with what he has had in Pittsburgh, but there have been some areas that fans have complained about. One of those is the involvement of star tight end Pat Freiermuth. Every time he is targeted heavily, he proves that he has the potential to be one of the best tight ends in the league, yet there are some games where it doesn't even seem like he exists. This is proven by the production from Freiermuth on the year, and one insider suggests that it would not be surprising if the tight end asked for a way out of Pittsburgh after the way he was used in 2025.
Would not be shocked if Pat Freiermuth asks for a trade. He’s been a good soldier, but it’s unfathomable how underused he was this year. #Steelers
— Christopher Carter (@CarterCritiques) January 13, 2026
The tight end was third on the team in receptions with 41, but there were some games where he could not get involved at all. There were four games during the 2025 season where he saw one or fewer targets, and seven games where he had two or less receptions. It was completely unacceptable by the offensive coaching staff, as the tight end didn't seem to be schemed up for success at all.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Pat Freiermuth before a game on the road against the Washington Commanders in 2024.
The tight end finished the season with 486 yards and four touchdowns, which is not bad, but it is clear he could have produced more had he been given the chance to. He had the lowest catch total of his career aside from the 2023 season when he battled injuries. Also, a ton of his production came from just one game which was Pittsburgh's showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football.
The lack of opportunity for Freiermuth stems some from the addition of Jonnu Smith, as well as the emergence of Darnell Washington. Washington came on during his third season and played great before breaking his arm, while Smith struggled in Pittsburgh after being traded to the Steelers during the 2025 offseason.
In Pittsburgh's playoff loss to Houston, the tight end barely saw the football. He didn't have a single target in the first half of the game aside from an obvious throwaway, but he did come down with one pass late in the contest for 18 yards. Freiermuth signed an extension prior to the 2024 season, and now he is barely being used. It would be hard to blame him if he did decide that he wanted out of Pittsburgh.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Pat Freiermuth runs with the ball during a win over the Cleveland Browns in 2024.
Steelers' Pat Freiermuth Has A Few Potential Landing Spots
If Freiermuth were to ask for a trade, he should have some interest from around the league. An intriguing spot would be the Washington Commanders. Zach Ertz went down late in the 2025 season with a potential career-ending injury, and the franchise has a big hole to fill at tight end. The Miami Dolphins could also be considered, especially since the Steelers have done a ton of business with that franchise in the past.
A longshot could be the Denver Broncos. Evan Engram has not quite been what the franchise hoped he would be, and Freiermuth could be seen as an upgrade.
What do you think about Freiermuth potentially wanting out of Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments below!
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