Steelers HC Mike Tomlin gives curious explanation about not using TE Pat Freiermuth

Over the years, we've heard some interesting and puzzling statements come from Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. His rationale for why he does or does not do something can sometimes leave us scratching our heads. On Tuesday, during his weekly press conference ahead of this week's game against the Cleveland Browns, he gave us a doozy.

Tomlin was asked why the team hasn't been utilizing starting tight end Pat Freiermuth. This is in reference to the snap distribution from the team's Week Four win over the Minnesota Vikings. In that game, backup tight end Darnell Washington played 48 offensive snaps. That worked out to 91 percent. Meanwhile, Freiermuth played just 15 and fellow starter Jonnu Smith played just 13. Tomlin's answer for why Washington got the lion's share of the snaps was interesting to say the least.

"You can't [block] 4-3 teams with 250-pound tight ends," Tomlin said. This would imply Freiermuth needed to be in there to block 4-3 defensive ends, who are typically larger than an undersized edge rusher. So we are in 100 percent agreement it shouldn't be Freiermuth's job to block them.

It should be the offensive tackle's job. If Tomlin and the Steelers cannot count on former first-round offensive tackles Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu to block opposing defensive ends, this team has a much bigger problem. Freiermuth not being on the field is simply a symptom of that problem.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers HC Mike Tomlin gives curious explanation about not using TE Pat Freiermuth