"Pat loves football," said Franklin after the Steelers selected Freiermuth in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. "There are a lot of people nowadays that like football, and the things that come from football, but Pat loves the game. Some like the things that come from football, but they don't necessarily like doing the dirty, gritty, monotonous work they need that makes them special in any craft or endeavor.

"It's like if you go to any basketball court in America, any kid is out there trying to dunk or shoot the three, but nobody is out there shooting foul shots anymore. Pat is that type of guy. He is going to be shooting the free throws.

"He is going to go out and work on all of the details, fundamentals, that allow highly successful athletes to be consistent and productive because he loves football."

Freiermuth said his love of the game is a credit to his family, including his brother, Tim Freiermuth, his uncle, Mike Foley and cousin, Pat Foley, all who have been involved in the game.

"Honestly, I have to thank my family for my love of the game," said Freiermuth. "My uncle was an offensive line coach in college. My cousin, my brother, actually my whole family grew up around football and sports.

"Ever since I was a kid, my brother wasn't hard on me, but he was pushing me, grabbing me to do extra stuff with him. I think he could see the potential in me before anyone else. That's what kind of helped me and pushed me. He taught me the basics of every sport. Nothing flashy, because that wasn't really him. For him to be successful, he needed to do all the fundamentals. So, he taught me that. And then when I got the fundamentals down, I started loving it. Then my athleticism was able to show out. So, I thank my brother and my whole family for being a big part of that love."

It comes as no surprise when Freiermuth recently signed a new five-year contract, that the family aspect played a role in his desire to want to remain in Pittsburgh, a place that quickly has become home for him.

"I'm very appreciative of the Rooney family and Mr. (Art) Rooney, the front office and coaches for believing in me and wanting me here for the long term," said Freiermuth. "My family and I view Pittsburgh as home. And I'm happy I am going to be here.

"This is the only place I wanted to be. For the past eight, nine years, my life has revolved in Pennsylvania. I consider it my second home. With Penn State just being down the road, this is the only place I wanted to be. My family loves it, my friends love it. And I am very comfortable here.

"I love the people. I love the relationships I've built in the building, the people that I've built relationships with outside of the building. And I love the passion of the fan base and how much they expect from us."

* * *

When it comes to expectations, there is no doubt nobody has higher expectations for Freiermuth than he has for himself. In his fourth season, he wants more. And he knows to those who much has been given, much is expected.

"I expect big things for myself," said Freiermuth. "I have to obviously play up to the level of which I was rewarded with contract wise now. I have to step up and put some more stuff on my shoulders as a leader of this offense. So, I'm expecting a lot from myself, but I'm expecting a lot from the offense and team as well."

Freiermuth said there is only one way to live up to the expectations he has.

And that is to win in the postseason. The Steelers have appeared in two postseason games since Freiermuth was drafted, losing both in the AFC Wild Card Round.

"That's it. Win some playoff games," said Freiermuth. "That's all I really care about. Individual success is going to come. But I'm just focused on what I can do to help our team get past that point of not only making the playoffs, but winning some meaningful games and getting to our end goal of the Super Bowl."

The key to getting to that point is simple in his eyes.

"Just show up every day," said Freiermuth. "Be consistent as a team. Communication and accountability. And so far, I feel that we've had that a lot this season."

Freiermuth has no problem making sure those around him share that same attitude. While he might not have the title of captain, his leadership is undeniable. He isn't a player who is always poking teammates, being vocal or critical. With his new contract, he knows being that consistent leader is crucial.

"It gives me more of a voice," said Freiermuth. "I'm just trying to stay as consistent as I've always been. I think the more I continue to play, the more I've been here, guys look up to me as a leader. I'm a voice of reason for a lot of guys. I care. I'm very passionate about my craft and how I conduct myself as a professional.

"I'm just trying to be that way consistently, and whatever it takes to win, I'm going to do it."

* * *

Over his first three seasons with the Steelers (2021-23), Freiermuth has played in 44 games, starting 26. He has hauled in 155 receptions for 1,537 yards, a 9.8-yard average, and 11 touchdowns.

Freiermuth's 155 receptions are ranked the most by a Steelers tight end over the first three seasons in the NFL, and his 1,537 yards are ranked the most by a Steelers tight end in that same span.

He wants more, though. And that appears to be coming in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's offense. Smith is a proponent of multiple tight end sets in his offense, something that makes Freiermuth's eyes light up.

"I like his offense a lot," said Freiermuth. "It's a lot of tight end usage. A lot of asking me specifically to do things, move around on the field, which I always did at Penn State.

"I feel like I can really thrive in this offense. I feel like I'm a priority. I'm getting looks, touches, all that. I feel very confident going on the field. I don't have any questions about what they're asking me to do. Arthur explains it. He never puts me in situations where I don't feel comfortable. So, it's been great."

Freiermuth said he watched tape of Smith's offense from his previous stops, especially after hearing all of the hype about the tight end usage. He is happy it's living up to the hype.

"It's been awesome," said Freiermuth. "You could see it start to develop in OTAs, training camp and the preseason. Now it's in game plans and I can feel my role growing and I am happy about it."

One of the big changes Freiermuth has also noticed is the physicality of Smith's offense. It's something he welcomes with open arms and something he is built for.

"I've always been a physical player," said Freiermuth. "But it's the difference between when you're confident in it and you're not. I'm very confident in what we're asked to do as a group, so I can really buy in on the physicality.

"His offense is more physical for sure. But you've got to bring it."

His ability to 'bring it' works hand-in-hand with the work he has done in the offseason, continually trying to improve year over year on every aspect of his game.

One such aspect has been his blocking. There are noticeable changes in his blocking ability from the time he first stepped foot into the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex until today.

"I think he's grown in several areas," said former Steelers offensive guard Craig Wolfley, who is the color analyst for the Steelers Radio Network. "Number one is physicality. He's grown into a better blocker. When he first got here, I thought, he's not really that much of a blocker. But he's grown in that, and he's grown in the sense of his own ability to get physical and get after the job.

"He's stronger now. He's able to maintain his contact balance. He's able to move people and get the job done. He's always been willing. It's just taken some time, but that's not unusual. It's an adjustment. It takes a little while."

Freiermuth has never shied away from saying he wanted to work on his blocking, and in the same respect, he hasn't been shy about working his tail off to continually improve it.

"My blocking has been a work in progress," said Freiermuth. "I think now that I'm starting to feel comfortable, understanding stuff, my aggressiveness being able to come out. I think tight end takes a certain mentality to play the position because you have to do so much, and the majority of your catches come in the middle of the field where there's the most contact. You have to have the right mentality to be successful at it."

And when it comes to mentality, it's hard to match his. Freiermuth doesn't just love football, he knows football. He understands the intricacies, the nuances that make him a coach's dream.

"The best part of his game is his football IQ and his ability to run routes and see the playing field and the coverages, like the quarterback sees them," said Wolfley. "He sees the safeties. He's one of those guys that can come back in the huddle and tell you what the coverage is. That's one of the things I respect so much about him.

"It's one thing to be able to tell the quarterback, yeah, I was open. They'll always say I was open. But when you can explain the coverage that you've seen, and explain that to the quarterback, that's a big helping hand because now you've got more pairs of eyes able to see some things that maybe the quarterback didn't see.

"Some guys have it naturally. But to be able to give a quarterback that sort of thousand-yard view of what you're seeing is very helpful to him. It's like you've got somebody else on the field that can give you a little direction. And I think that's one of the things that Pat is able to do."

Freiermuth takes great pride in his ability to read coverages, to have that football IQ, because he knows it can be a difference maker.

"It goes back to my family and what they have taught me, helped me with," said Freiermuth. "Certain guys have that. It's studying, but it's also knowing the field. You can study all you want, but when you go out on the field, you have to play free and find the holes in the defense.

"The biggest thing I've done is learn from Ben Roethlisberger when he was here about communication, what the defense is trying to do. When everyone on offense understands what's going on, then your plays are going to come. I remember in the playoff game in Buffalo last year, every time I went in motion, I knew what the coverage was. We were communicating. I was telling the guys what I was seeing.

"I take pride in that."