Don't call him 'Baby Gronk' -- Steelers rookie TE Pat Freiermuth 'hates it'

May 14—Would "Baby Heath" work for Pat Freiermuth?

Because the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie tight end isn't a fan of being called "Baby Gronk."

"I hate it," said Pat Freiermuth of the "Baby Gronk" moniker so many called him while he was an All-Big Ten performer at Penn State.

"I think it's pretty annoying," Freiermuth added, albeit with a laugh. "I am trying to get away from that nickname. So I won't be called that."

The 6-foot-5, 251-pound Freiermuth's connection to the 6-6, 268-pound Gronkowski comes not just from that both have been highly-productive pass-catching tight ends of similar size. Freiermuth, the Steelers' second-round pick last month, is from Massachusetts, the state where Gronkowski starred in the NFL for nine seasons as a member of the New England Patriots.

In college, Freiermuth also wore the same uniform number Gronkowski has throughout an NFL career that has seen him four times get crowned a Super Bowl champion.

"I guess it came about because I'm from that area, wore No. 87," Freiermuth said during a video conference call with media following a Steelers rookie minicamp session at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. "Obviously, 'Gronk' played for the Patriots for a long time, and I grew up kind of watching him."

Perhaps it was fortunate for Freiermuth, then, that Pine-Richland High School alumnus Kevin Rader already has No. 87 claimed for the Steelers. So, Freiermuth is wearing No. 88.

A more likely obvious comparison for Freiermuth than Gronkowski during his Steelers career will be Heath Miller, the popular tight end who played 11 seasons with the team and won the Super Bowl twice.

Fans at Heinz Field — and away venues — chanted, "Heeeeeeeath" after receptions by Miller throughout his career. The tradition has, in part, carried over to some Steelers tight ends since then.

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Chris Adamski is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Chris by email at cadamski@triblive.com or via Twitter .