Freiermuth See’s Shades of Ben Roethlisberger in Aaron Rodgers

by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published June 10, 2025, 8:12 PM

Pittsburgh, PA – It was probably the quietest moment you’ll ever experience inside the Steelers’ locker room.

A swarm of media hovered outside, cameras pointed, microphones checked waiting to hear from four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. But inside? Silence. Lockers mostly empty. The hum of a franchise adjusting to the weight of expectation.

Rodgers, now donning the black and gold in a twist few could have predicted a year ago, is here in Pittsburgh. And while the buzz built outside, inside the building, players were keeping it simple.

Tight end Pat Freiermuth is one of those key pieces. Entering his fourth NFL season, Freiermuth is one of the few current Steelers who can say he played with Ben Roethlisberger. His rookie year in 2021 was also the final season of Big Ben’s Hall of Fame-worthy career.

I caught up with Freiermuth sitting at his locker. I told him, “Obviously, he’s here Aaron Rodgers. I saw you guys out there going through things. Just your first impressions? Any contact with him before?”

“Yeah, he’s a good dude. It was cool just to kind of be on the field with him, talking shop, talking ball with him,” he said. “Definitely a really smart guy, talking football. Very similar to Ben in the way he sees things. So hopefully, he can pick up where he left off.”

That one sentence very similar to Ben says a lot in Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger, who led the Steelers to two Super Bowl titles and played 18 seasons with the team, was known for his unshakable command in the huddle, improvisational magic, and deep trust with his receivers. To compare Rodgers to Roethlisberger, even loosely, means Freiermuth sees something special familiar, even.

Freiermuth’s connection with Roethlisberger as a rookie was instant. He caught 60 passes and seven touchdowns in 2021, quickly earning Ben’s trust as a reliable option over the middle and in the red zone. Now, entering a season where health and consistency could launch his game to the next level, Freiermuth is ready to build the same chemistry with another future Hall of Famer.

Rodgers has said he wants to make Pittsburgh his own. But this is still a city that reveres its past. So when a player like Freiermuth who bridged the eras draws that kind of comparison, fans listen.

For now, the locker room stays quiet, the storm still brewing outside. But with Rodgers in the huddle and trusted weapons like Freiermuth at his side, it won’t stay quiet for long.

Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com