Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1530530
P ittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Frei- ermuth joked following a 27-14 win over Cleveland on Dec. 8 that his grandfather would probably be upset that he punted the ball into the crowd after scoring his fifth touchdown of the season. Freiermuth was all but certain to receive a fine from the league, but his excitement was understandable. After a productive but mostly unspectacular first three years in the Steel City, the former Nittany Lion is starting to shine consistently as a pro. Entering a Week 15 clash with Philadel- phia, Freiermuth has caught 44 passes for 470 yards. Twenty-three of those catches have been for first downs, second-best on the team, and his 5 receiving scores are the most by any Pittsburgh pass catcher. Freiermuth was doing well earlier this year, but he has been at another level ever since veteran quarterback Russell Wil- son replaced Justin Fields under center in October. Wilson, who missed the first six weeks of the season with a calf injury, has targeted Freiermuth at least twice in each of his seven games as the starter. Freiermuth scored touchdowns in wins over Cincinnati and Cleveland in early December. It's clear that his connection with Wilson is terrific, and with the sta- tus of receiver George Pickens seemingly questionable for a variety of reasons on a weekly basis, Freiermuth will continue to be a top target in the passing game. At 10-3, the Steelers have a two-game lead over Baltimore in the AFC North and are closing in on a division title. Freier- muth said the strong working relation- ship between Fields and Wilson helped the team make a smooth transition at midseason. "It was tough when [Wilson] was hurt, but he did a great job of being involved and helping Justin any way he could," Freier- muth told SI.com. "That's what helped him when he came back — guys knew that he had our back. He had Justin's back. There was no animosity between the two. It was all about winning. It couldn't really happen without both of them and how they handled it." Freiermuth described Wilson as "a hell of a quarterback." "Any time you can mix that with the playmakers we have on offense … it's a recipe for success," he said. ■ Pat Freiermuth Shines In Steelers' Resurgent Offense G R E G P I C K E L | G R E G . P I C K E L @ O N 3 . C O M PSU IN THE PROS Former Nittany Lions In The NFL As of Dec. 9 Saquon Barkley (Played at Penn State from 2015-17), RB, Philadelphia Eagles: Barkley has rushed for 100 or more yards in a franchise- record nine games. His 1,623 rushing yards are also the most for an Eagles player in a single season. He is on pace to break Eric Dickerson's NFL single-season rushing yards mark (2,105). His 11 touchdowns are the fifth-most in the NFL, and he's in the conversation for MVP and All-Pro consideration. Ryan Bates (2016-18), OL, Chicago Bears: Re- turning to action after being placed on injured reserve earlier in the season with shoulder and elbow problems, Bates was forced out of Chicago's game against Green Bay in Week 11 with a concussion. Jaquan Brisker (2019-21), S, Chicago Bears: Brisker missed five of the Bears' first 10 games with a concussion and was placed on injured reserve Nov. 14. He has 40 tackles and an in- terception this year. Cam Brown (2016-19), LB, Miami Dolphins: Brown was signed to Miami's practice squad this offseason but has been on the team's in- jury reserve list since August. The nature of his injury was not disclosed. Ji'Ayir Brown (2020-22), S, San Francisco 49ers: Brown was removed from his starting role before the 49ers' 38-13 win over Chicago on Dec. 10. A problem with missed tackles and a teammate returning from injury are the main reasons why. He is still part of the safety rota- tion and has 40 tackles and an interception. Tariq Castro-Fields (2017-21), CB, Philadel- phia Eagles: Castro-Fields was waived by Caro- lina on Oct. 1 and picked up by Philadelphia three weeks later. Dan Chisena (2015-19), WR, Carolina Pan- thers: Chisena was on Arizona's practice squad, but the team cut him on Oct. 11. Six days later, he joined the Panthers' practice squad. Sean Clifford (2017-22), QB, Green Bay Pack- ers: Clifford is on the Packers' practice squad and has yet to see game action this season. Jahan Dotson (2018-21), WR, Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles' passing game has been in- consistent, but even when it's thriving, Dotson does not have a big role. He has just 12 catches on 21 targets for 122 yards. Arnold Ebiketie (2021), LB, Atlanta Falcons: Ebeketie has played in just 13 games this sea- son. He has 28 tackles and 4 sacks. Olumuyiwa Fashanu (2020-23), OL, New York Jets: After being worked into the lineup as a rookie, Fashanu has played 68 snaps in Five of Freiermuth's 44 receptions this year have been for touchdowns, the most TDs of any Steelers pass catcher. PHOTO COURTESY PITTSBURGH STEELERS 6 4 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 5