What the Signing of a 32-Year-Old Tight End Means for Pat Freiermuth’s Future with the Steelers
On Thursday, June 4th, 2026, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed former Packers tight end Robert Tonyan. The 32-year-old veteran tight end played five seasons in Green Bay before bouncing around to a new team each of the past three seasons. Tonyan, who had an 11-touchdown season in 2020 with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback, has not started a single game in the past two seasons and only has one reception for one yard to his name in that span. The news of the Illinois native’s one-year deal with the Steelers comes just a day after they agreed to a four-year, $42 million deal with six-foot-seven tight end Darnell Washington, keeping him in the Steel City through 2030. With the Steelers' newly renovated coaching staff, which includes Rodgers' former Green Bay coach, Mike McCarthy, there is an expectation that Pittsburgh’s offensive scheme will change. The signing of Tonyan just adds gas to the fire for this change, as he was arguably Rodgers’ favorite tight end, and now he’s right back with him, wearing a black-and-gold jersey this time.
One Steeler who should be concerned is former Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth. The Steelers selected ‘Muth’ in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he instantly jumped into the swing of things, recording 60 receptions for 497 yards and seven touchdowns in his rookie year. The 27-year-old would continue his success in 2022, with 63 receptions for 732 yards and two touchdowns. Signing a four-year contract extension in September of 2024, he used it as motivation, as he had arguably his best season with 65 receptions, 653 yards, and seven touchdowns. ‘Muth,’ who had established himself as a great starting tight end for the Steelers, was then kicked to the curb more or less in 2025, under an Arthur Smith offense that utilized four separate tight ends. Many expected 2025 to be the six-foot-five tight end's best season to date after an excellent 2024, yet he finished with just 41 receptions for 486 yards and four touchdowns, starting only eight games. With Jonnu Smith and Connor Heyward no longer on the team, all of the attention falls onto Washington. Weighing more than 310 pounds, he is a physical specimen who runs through people, whether he’s a pass catcher or a run blocker. After his large extension, he has clearly become the black and gold’s number one choice at tight end, but with Tonyan now being behind him and the history between the veteran tight end and Rodgers, could ‘Muth’s’ time in Pittsburgh be up?
Talks about ‘Muth’ potentially being traded have floated around since March. Similar to the trade rumors surrounding Alex Highsmith, there’s some validity in it, but nothing has come of it yet. The Tonyan signing could be a direct indicator that Freiermuth is being traded, as the Steelers currently have six tight ends on the roster. It’s still unknown what the future will hold for Washington in the Steelers new scheme, but the likelihood that he becomes Rodgers main target at tight end is high. Quickly after the Steelers and Rodgers agreed on a one-year deal, reports floated that he was bringing comfort with him. What better way to help an aging quarterback settle back into a team than bringing in his favorite tight end? He’s done it before, coercing the Jets to bring Allen Lazard over from the Packers, and it seems he may have done it again. ‘Muth’ is an incredible talent and has shown that with the Steelers, but after a 2025 season in which he was pushed aside in favor of other tight ends, it could very well happen again in 2026. If it does, the Steelers would be better off trading him for draft assets rather than wasting his talent on the bench as he sits behind Washington and Tonyan.
