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Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth Ribs Kenny Pickett Over PSU-Pitt Rivalry

The jokes are still coming from Pat Freiermuth and Kenny Pickett's time in college.

PITTSBURGH -- The four-game series that reignited the decades-old Keystone State rivalry between Pitt and Penn State is over and currently, there are no plans to revive it. But two centerpieces of the most recent games played between the two schools are now teammates with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and one former Nittany Lion has enjoyed reminding his former Panther teammate that he was 0-2 against Penn State during his career. 

At Organized Team Activities this week, Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth, who spent three years in State College before the Steelers drafted him in 2021, said that there's no lingering animosity between the former competitors, 

"Kenny [Pickett]'s a great guy, but I'll always give him crap because he's never beaten Penn State before," Freiermuth said. "I have no hard feelings towards him. He's never beaten my alma mater, so we're all good."

Freiermuth was a freshman backup when Pickett made his first start against Penn State in week two of the 2018 season. It was an infamously ugly game for Pickett - who threw for just 55 yards and one pick in the driving rain - and the Panthers - who lost 51-6. Friermuth caught one pass for five yards in a win for his squad at Heinz Feild. 

The following year's contest - the 100th game of the storied series - was a much closer affair. Penn State edged out a 17-10 win as Pitt failed to convert on a close-range scoring chance in the red zone during the fourth quarter. Pickett threw for 373 yards in that game, but no scores and Freiermuth caught one pass for 16 yards. 

Even though he rode the bench for most of those games, Feiermuth can recite the winning scores easily but joked that he doesn't remember them exactly. 

"We played each other for two years. I think we beat them 51-6 here and then 17-10 at my place. I think so. I don't remember exactly but I think that was it," Freiermuth said.

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