PITTSBURGH -- With hours ticking until their self-imposed deadline, the Pittsburgh Steelers secured tight end Pat Freiermuth with a four-year, $48.4 million extension, his agency, Athletes First, confirmed to ESPN.
The franchise doesn't negotiate contracts in season and traditionally shuts down conversations prior to the team's departure for its Week 1 game. The Steelers are scheduled to leave for Atlanta on Saturday. Talks intensified late in the week, league sources said, to get the deal finished.
"We were just so happy for Pat, man," quarterback Russell Wilson said. "He's worked his tail off, just his composure, his leadership. I remember when I first got here ... a bunch of us went out to dinner, and Pat was just talking about leadership, and I was able to listen to him and just hear, even though he's such a young, talented player, he already has exudes this leadership about him and his confidence.
"It's really tremendous. I'm excited for him, man. Anytime a guy gets acknowledgement in terms of financially and his family and everything else for all the hard work he's done, that's always a huge thing."
Freiermuth, 25, was selected by the Steelers in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, and he figures to be a significant part of coordinator Arthur Smith's tight end-friendly offense.
Freiermuth was limited by soft tissue injuries last season, but he flashed his potential against the Cincinnati Bengals when he recorded nine receptions on 11 targets for 120 yards. He had his most productive scoring season as a rookie playing with Ben Roethlisberger, recording seven touchdowns on 60 receptions. In 2022, Freiermuth had a career-high 732 receiving yards.
With the Steelers thin at wide receiver behind George Pickens, Freiermuth is poised for an even bigger role in the 2024 offense.