Cam Heyward might not be interested in making a pitch to Aaron Rodgers but tight end Pat Freiermuth is doing what he can to bring him to Pittsburgh. Appearing on 93.7 The Fan Tuesday afternoon, Freiermuth confirmed he’s spoken with Rodgers through Instagram messages.
“Yeah, I’ve been in contact,” Freiermuth told The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller.
He also confirmed that Rodgers has responded to his messages. Naturally, Freiermuth didn’t detail the extent of those messages. But there’s at least one Steelers player having dialogue with him after Rodgers’ six-hour visit to the team facility last Friday.
“It’s not his phone number. I’ve just been DM-ing on my Instagram. I haven’t gotten past the DM phase,” Freiermuth told the show.
Should Rodgers sign with Pittsburgh, Freiermuth would become one of his top targets. A consistent and sure-handed player, Freiermuth’s production could spike with a quarterback like Rodgers, who wants to get the ball out of his hands. Last year, he had the NFL’s sixth-fastest snap-to-throw time. Veteran quarterbacks like Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger like security blankets and Freiermuth qualifies as one.
In 2024, Jets TE Tyler Conklin finished with 51 receptions, 449 yards, and four touchdowns. Freiermuth will aim to beat those numbers. Last season, he stayed healthy and set a career-high with 65 receptions but was mostly utilized underneath. He averaged just 10 yards per reception with a long of 30 yards. He cashed in when it counted with seven touchdowns, matching the number he posted with Roethlisberger as a rookie.
According to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Darlington Tuesday morning, Rodgers doesn’t even have the famed “inner circle” helping him make a decision. Freiermuth also noted that the Pat McAfee crew has been kept in the dark about Rodgers’ thought process.
“It doesn’t seem like no one knows what’s going on,” Freiermuth said. “But we’ll see what happens.”
Rodgers is essentially solo in determining his future and it’s one reason why information about his decision and timetable are so light. But DM’ing with a fixture of the Steelers’ offense is another sign of Rodgers’ interest in what Pittsburgh has to offer.
By September, Freiermuth could go from receiving Rodgers’ messages to receiving his touchdown passes.
