Playoff football is nothing new for Pittsburgh Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth. The Steelers reached the playoffs twice in his first three seasons in the NFL. And even though they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, they still secured a spot in the playoffs.

But that doesn’t mean Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens isn’t new to him. When the Steelers take the field in Baltimore, they won’t just have a chance to beat their biggest rivals. They can clinch the AFC North title and a guaranteed home playoff appearance. For Freiermuth it’s a different feeling.

“This is the first hat and t-shirt game I’ve been a part of in the NFL,” Freiermuth said Tuesday night on WDVE’s Chalk Talk, hosted by Gerry Dulac and Freiermuth. “So, you know, guys like me, Najee and Dan who haven’t had this opportunity yet, we’re all in – just stay in the building later and watch the extra film. It’s difficult because we’ve just been from Philly for a short week. And at the end of the week, of course, we play Kansas City a week from tomorrow. So we have to be smart… We have to be smart and practice things, so there’s a lot of mental stuff. So we’re excited.”

The last time the Steelers won the AFC North was in 2020, a year before the Steelers drafted Freiermuth. This was the same draft in which the Steelers took RB Najee Harris and OT Dan Moore Jr. All three have experienced playoff football. But none of them have played in a game that would require the Steelers to don AFC North champion gear if they won.

That’s tough for a team that won the division five times from 2010 to 2020. There is an expectation of being the AFC’s best team in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers have a chance to prove that against their arch-rival on Saturday. That’s a spot any team in the NFL would love to occupy.

The Steelers and Pat Freiermuth are unable to win to make the playoffs. And they certainly don’t need any help to get there. Their playoff tickets are punched, but that’s not enough for the man throwing the ball to Freiermuth, QB Russell Wilson. The Steelers still lead the division and have a chance to win it, so he and the rest of the Steelers want to take advantage.