Steelers sign tight end Pat Freiermuth to new deal

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of question marks as they begin 2024.

The long-term status of tight end Pat Freiermuth is not one of them.

The team signed Freiermuth to a five-year contract on Friday that runs through the 2028 season, giving them some stability at a position that had seen plenty of turnover until they drafted Freiermuth three years ago.

Freiermuth, who has 155 receptions for 1,537 yards and 11 touchdowns in 44 career games, celebrated with his teammates during a meeting on Friday afternoon ahead of the season opener in Atlanta. The 25-year-old Freiermuth was about to enter the final season of the rookie deal he signed after the Steelers selected him in the second round in 2021.

“He’s worked so hard and he’s passionate about the game of football, is a great teammate, a great leader, a great friend,” Pittsburgh quarterback Russell Wilson said. “We had a good dinner (Thursday night) with the offensive line. We kind of knew something was going to happen. And so it was cool seeing him walk off the field (Friday). He's always smiling, but to just see a big smile on his face was huge.”

Freiermuth could thrive under first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who has a track record of featuring tight ends heavily during previous stops in his coaching career.

“He’s a unique player,” Smith said of Freiermuth. “He got a lot of early success in the league and a lot of success at Penn State. He’s got a great feel for space. ... There are certain things you see, and guys that just get it. They know how to find windows in zone (coverage). They know how to set guys up in man (coverage). He’s got a really good feel as a tight end, as a space player.”

The signing is the second prominent player the Steelers have agreed to terms with this week. The club signed longtime defensive end Cam Heyward to a three-year deal on Tuesday.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Will Graves, The Associated Press