Watch: Freiermuth scores second TD of game despite interference
Steel City Underground will pick an exceptional play of the game as a highlight each week of the Steelers 2021 regular season. Stay tuned as we hand-select the very best from the Black and Gold!
Every single week of his rookie NFL season, tight end Pat Freiermuth has lived up to the hype that followed him through his collegiate career and into the 2021 NFL Draft. On Monday Night Football, under the primetime lights at Heinz Field, Freiermuth made one of the most important plays of the game.
Early, during the second quarter, Steelers defensive veteran Cameron Heyward made an exceptional play that led to Freiermuth grabbing his first touchdown of the night. Heyward was able to bat-and-catch a Justin Fields passing attempt and maintain possession for an interception. The created turnover allowed Ben Roethlisberger to find Freiermuth in the end zone on a third-and-goal situation from the Bears’ four-yard line to give Pittsburgh a 14-0 lead.
Freiermuth stayed busy, helping to block when asked, and refused to back down when he was targeted in the end zone the second time of the night.
The Bears had successfully managed a ten-play, 89-yard drive that only did not result in a touchdown due to a low block penalty on James Daniels that forced a field goal from Cairo Santos and put Chicago within eight points of Pittsburgh. The Steelers offense then went to work, orchestrating a nine-play, 75-yard drive that included a 42-yard pass to James Washington from Ben Roethlisberger and two 11-yard jet sweeps from Chase Claypool.
Blanketed in coverage, on a route that would see the Bears flagged for defensive pass interference, Freirmuth was able to utilize his athleticism and build to go into full battle mode with Kindle Vildor and snag a nearly-impossible catch in the end zone for his second touchdown of the game.
Freiermuth, who’s shown that he is willing to give everything he has to make necessary plays, earned his first career multi-touchdown game. The rookie tight end looked poised and unhesitant in playing a big role for the Steelers’ offense in their late-game, close win over the Bears.
