Pat Freiermuth Admits Steelers Removed Crucial Piece of Offense
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers adjusted to life without a franchise quarterback this season, and until the end, it was bumpy.
The Steelers finished 9-8 after a 7-2 run to close out the season, but throughout the year, you could see how the offense was still developing. And during their first year with Mitch Trubisky and then Kenny Pickett, the team decided not to use a key part of any team's passing attack.
During his appearance on Ben Roethlisberger's 'Footballhin' podcast, tight end Pat Freiermuth said the offense completely eliminated hot routes this past season.
"I tell Kenny this all the time. It’s so different because we didn’t have hots. With you, how many times did we have a concept and you looked at [WR Diontae Johnson] and give a signal and it’d be a 12-yard completion," Freiermuth said. "We didn’t have that this year."
A hot route is when the quarterback gives a signal, most likely a nonverbal cue, to indicate a pass is coming to a certain wide receiver. It can also change that receiver's route.
"Instead of looking at you the whole time, we were looking at the coverage," Freiermuth said. "Like, I know what I’m supposed to do. It was almost too slow at first because you weren’t anticipating. With [Ben], we could see Cover Zero and you’d give us a Ram or something."
Can that change in year two? Certainly. The offense was likely very limited with Pickett behind center and should expand with experience.
Pickett's recognition of opposing defenses will develop with time, and, hopefully, the Steelers re-implement hot routes to their offense in 2023.
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