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Pat Freiermuth Will Dominate in 2026. Ask His Former Teammate
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- Pat Freiermuth Will Dominate in 2026. Ask His Former Teammate
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The 2021 offseason was an unusual one for former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Vince Williams. The Steelers released him as a salary-cap casualty following the COVID-19-impacted cap reduction. A month later, however, Williams returned on a one-year deal , only to retire three months after rejoining the team .
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During that stretch, the Steelers selected tight end Pat Freiermuth in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft . Technically, the two were teammates for a brief period, but Williams has spent most of Freiermuth's career observing him from afar. From what he's seen, Williams believes Freiermuth has become the forgotten piece of Pittsburgh's offense.
In fact, Williams expects Freiermuth to remind the NFL why he is one of the league's most talented tight ends. With a new coaching staff and an offensive coordinator who specializes in developing tight ends, that scenario seems entirely possible.
Nov 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) scores a touchdown during the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Imagesreuters.com,2025:newsml_MT1USATODAY27486006:483828457
Pat Freiermuth is the Forgotten Piece of Steelers' Offense
Williams recently joined Steelers Nation Radio , where the conversation turned to Freiermuth's role in the new offense. That's when Williams confidently predicted a bounce-back season for the veteran tight end.
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"I think a lot of the time we've forgotten how good he was," Williams said. "We've forgotten the player that we paid and how dominant he could be because of the offense that he played in."
As odd as it sounds, there's truth to that statement. For all of former offensive coordinator Matt Canada 's shortcomings, he consistently found ways to maximize Freiermuth's production. Arthur Smith , meanwhile, has often faced criticism for his personnel usage. No one will fault him for involving Darnell Washington , but that involvement shouldn't have come at Freiermuth's expense.
"[Freiermuth] could take another step forward and really remind everybody what he's capable of," Williams concluded.
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Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) breaks into the end zone for a go-ahed touchdown late in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 7 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The Bengals won, 33-31.reuters.com,2025:newsml_MT1USATODAY27342989:425839333
Pat Freiermuth is Primed for a Big 2026
Freiermuth posted a solid 2024 season under Arthur Smith, especially considering how dysfunctional the offense looked in 2023. By all accounts, 2025 appeared set up to be an even bigger year. Instead, the Steelers acquired Jonnu Smith and gradually reduced Freiermuth's role in the offense . Smith's addition proved to be a major disappointment, and while he never made it an issue, it was clear Freiermuth wasn't thrilled with his usage .
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If there's a system that can create more opportunities for Freiermuth, it's Mike McCarthy 's offense. Throughout his career, McCarthy has orchestrated multiple top-10 offenses and helped several tight ends thrive. Players such as Jermichael Finley, Dalton Schultz , and Richard Rodgers all enjoyed productive seasons under McCarthy's guidance.
With minicamp in the rearview mirror and training camp approaching , the Steelers will have plenty of opportunities to reestablish Freiermuth as a focal point of the offense. The question now is whether he'll prove Williams right and deliver a breakout season under his new head coach.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
