Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth is adding a new responsibility to his offensive workload this season. He’s been taking direct snaps under center for the team’s short-yardage package.
Appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Freiermuth shared how head coach Mike McCarthy and the offensive coaching staff approached him about running the power play, where fellow tight end Darnell Washington pushes him across the line of scrimmage.
While Freiermuth was on board with the strategic addition, he admitted that taking direct snaps was not something he had done since high school, a stretch of his career that was far from smooth.
“I feel like I’ve perfected the cadence..@MasonLMcCormick will tell me if it isn’t good 😂😂
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He’s been riding pretty high out there and he’s been doing great” ~ @pat_fry5 #PMSLive https://t.co/SEVC0yDmeZ pic.twitter.com/miHdf9FNwF
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 13, 2026
“They approached me during camp and asked if I’ve ever taken a snap under center. I haven’t since sophomore year at my high school under the Wing-T offense. I didn’t tell them this,” said Freiermuth with a chuckle. “But I probably averaged a fumble or two a game in just the center to quarterback exchange.
“I went to Aaron [Rodgers] and approached him about how to take a snap, and he’s been pretty good at telling me. I’ve kinda found a hand placement that I like, and so it’s been good.”
To ensure the exchange went smoothly on game days, Freiermuth sought out veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers for expert technical advice on hand placement and mechanics. Beyond mastering the grip, the tight end faced another challenge: perfecting the cadence to avoid drawing pre-snap penalties or throwing off the offensive line’s timing.
“I’ve perfected the cadence, I think everyone’s pretty happy with it. That was my biggest anxiety, still is probably, before every play is making sure the cadence is good for the o-line. [Mason] McCormick will tell me if it sucks and he hasn’t told me yet.”
With Rodgers’ guidance and positive feedback from starting guard Mason McCormick, Freiermuth has embraced the role, giving Pittsburgh a physical option to convert crucial short-yardage downs.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Pat Freiermuth talks under-center snaps in new Steelers package