PITTSBURGH — Pat Freiermuth is going to be OK. The Pittsburgh Steelers offense remains to be seen.
Freiermuth spoke to Steelers Now before practice on Wednesday and said that he “is fine,” regarding the chest injury that he suffered late in the first half of the 2023 season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
The offense, however, remains up in the air.
The Steelers scored just once on Sunday, a touchdown pass from Kenny Pickett to Freiermuth to cap a successful two-minute drill at the end of the first half.
Throughout the rest of the first half, they struggled to gain a first down so mightily that the San Francisco offensive players were getting worn out.
On the first drive of the second half, they lost wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who could be out for a month with a hamstring injury. It’s probably not a coincidence that the offense didn’t score without him.
“It changes a lot,” Freiermuth said. “Diontae is our No. 1. Everyone knows that. It’s definitely going to stink not having him out there for however long he’s out.”
In his Tuesday press conference, head coach Mike Tomlin said that the challenge of replacing great players like Johnson and the also-injured Cam Heyward is both on the replacement players and the coaches, who may have to adjust their scheme to make it work without the injury star.
Freiermuth thinks the Steelers have a depth of offensive weapons to make it work, despite Johnson being the team’s top target-getter and most-open receiver.
“I’m just looking forward to seeing the extra opportunities for GP, myself, Calvin, Gunner,” he said. “There’s a bunch of guys that can step up in his place.”
That could mean more of Freiermuth in the slot, more two-tight end formations, or even more two-running back plays with Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris.
“It all depends on what the coaches think … who we’re playing and how they match up to that kind of stuff,” Freiermuth said.
The idea that the team has options and things that it can try to make it work in place of Johnson is a helpful one, if for nothing else that the team’s psyche as it deals with the back-to-back-to-back blows of an embarrassing season-opening loss and gutting injuries to two star players.
“We’ve just got to continue to focus on getting better,” he said. “It’s one game. It’s not going to dictate our whole season. We’ve got a great opportunity for us to bounce back Monday night against Cleveland.”
That game being next on the schedule, in one way anyway, can be a blessing.
“It’s going to be a big game,” he said. “Prime time against a divisional opponent is no time for us to feel sorry for ourselves.”