Penn State football’s star TE Pat Freiermuth out for season with injury, James Franklin says
Penn State head coach James Franklin confirmed another injury for his team this season.
The Nittany Lions will be without star tight end Pat Freiermuth for the rest of the season, Franklin said after the team’s 41-21 loss to Iowa Saturday evening.
“He’s going to have season-ending surgery next week for an injury suffered during the Ohio State game,” Franklin said. “The injury has prevented from playing at a high level and without pain, which led to the decision of surgery that his family and we made this week. He’s going to remain with the team for the rest of the season.”
Freiermuth did not play in Saturday’s game against Iowa.
He was in street clothes and not warming up prior to the game.Freiermuth racked up 310 yards and a touchdown on 23 receptions, with his score coming on the first offensive drive of the season for the Nittany Lions. The touchdown gave him the Penn State tight end receiving touchdown record with 16 in his career.
Freiermuth is eligible for — and could declare for — the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s currently projected as a first round pick, according to CBS Sports’ latest mock draft.
The junior has 1,185 career receiving yards to go with his 16 touchdowns on 92 career receptions.
Redshirt freshman Brenton Strange got the start at tight end in Freiermuth’s place. Strange entered his first career start with four receptions for 27 yards and a touchdown in his career and added three catches for 38 yards and a touchdown in the game.
He wasn’t the only freshman to see the field without Freiermuth and backup tight end Zack Kuntz — who Franklin said was also unavailable. True freshman tight end Theo Johnson also saw the field and made his first two receptions for 14 yards.
This story was originally published November 21, 2020 at 7:40 PM.
