former pittsburgh steelers offensive coordinator arthur smith repeatedly chose jonnu smith over pat freiermuth during the 2025 season. beat writer mike defabo shared an account of the favoritism shown on the practice field. the move limited the production of the team's top-paid tight end.
pat freiermuth recorded just 41 receptions for 486 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. those numbers marked career lows for the tight end in a season where he stayed largely healthy. the drop came after he posted 65 receptions for 653 yards and seven touchdowns the prior year under smith.