Pat Freiermuth is going to be busy this offseason, not just because of football but because he is taking care of some unfinished business.
In his latest appearance with The Pocket podcast, the Pittsburgh Steelers tight end shared that he is currently taking classes at Penn State to finish getting his college degree, citing his mother as his main motivation.
“I’m actually currently enrolled at Penn State right now, taking classes to finish up getting my degree,” said Freiermuth. “I promised my mom I’d get my degree, so I’m excited to see the smile on her face when I get it.”
The 25-year-old was unable to finish his studies when he declared for the 2021 NFL Draft. Freiermuth joined the Pittsburgh Steelers when the team used the 55th overall pick on him, and he has played three NFL seasons for them since.
Pat Freiermuth is not your typical jock in school, as he was named to the Boston Globe’s All-Scholastics team back when he was in high school. However, when asked about his transition back to the classroom, he admitted that it has been “brutal” for him thus far.
After a career year in 2022, where he had 63 receptions for 732 receiving yards and two touchdowns, Pat Freiermuth couldn’t approach either of those numbers in 2023.
The Penn State product managed to only record 32 receptions for 308 receiving yards and two touchdowns during the regular season, although he missed several games due to a hamstring injury. And in their wild-card round defeat to the Buffalo Bills, Freiermuth had five receptions for 76 receiving yards and was unable to score a touchdown.
After finishing his degree at Penn State this summer, up next for Pat Freiermuth is learning the playbook of Arthur Smith, who was hired to be the new offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Arthur Smith is known for highlighting the tight end position because he did so in previous seasons with players like Kyle Pitts and Jonnu Smith at the Atlanta Falcons.
As it stands right now, Pat Freiermuth is the best tight end on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster right now, and he will be playing for his next big payday since he’ll be a free agent after the 2024 campaign.
