JuJu Smith-Schuster has 5 catches in return, says ‘it would be a blessing’ to remain with Steelers
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JuJu Smith-Schuster fought his way back to play one more game this season. Was it also one final time he wore the black-and-gold?
Smith-Schuster’s surprise return to game action three months after shoulder surgery ended with a team-high-tying five receptions in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 42-21 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in an AFC wild-card playoff game Sunday night. But his return to the team might have started and ended in the heartland — Smith-Schuster is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency for the second consecutive year this spring.
Last March, he ended up coming back to the Steelers on a one-year deal. Could he re-sign again?
“Honestly, it would be a blessing,” Smith-Schuster told reporters in a postgame press conference from Arrowhead Stadium. “I love the city, I love the fans, I love coach (Mike) Tomlin, I love the (assistant) coaches, my teammates, players, everyone in the media side to the training room. It’s been unbelievable.
“My career here has been amazing. It would be nice to stay here and to play with these guys again, the same coaches and everyone, so it would be nice to be here another four years.”
Much needs sorted out, both on the side of Smith-Schuster and his representation and with the Steelers, who have more than a dozen other UFAs to make decisions on while they ponder their post-Ben Roethlisberger future.
But having Smith-Schuster for the final game of 2021 meant he got one last chance to play with Roethlisberger.
“It meant so much to me,” Smith-Schuster said. “I knew it was a big risk to put myself on the line to come out here. When I was doing my exit (interview), physicals, for the end of the (regular) season, when I got cleared by the doctors I was like, ‘I’m playing.’ There was no hesitation, no doubt that I wanted to be out there with (Roethlisberger) and he felt comfortable with me being out there, and we never lost that chemistry.”
Smith-Schuster said he initially was told that the painful right shoulder injury he suffered early during a win against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 10 would force him out for the season.
“I said, ‘OK, the season is the season; there is a postseason,’ ” Smith-Schuster said.
Smith-Schuster also said team physician Dr. James Bradley told him the typical recovery after his surgery was six months.
“I told myself, ‘I am gonna do it in three,’ ” Smith-Schuster said.
“And when I (ultimately) got cleared, I was like, no hesitation, ‘It’s time to go.’ Everything I was doing outside the facility was to get to where I was today. And to show other teams that I am healthy. So I am happy to be out here with my boys.”
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Smith-Schuster had an 111-catch season as a 21-year-old, second-year pro in 2018, a year after the Steelers drafted him in the second round. He had 97 receptions last season.
But the free-agent market last year was cool on Smith-Schuster, and there’s no telling what it will be this spring after he was limited to 20 catches for 155 yards (7.8 average) over six games (including playoffs).
But Smith-Schuster said he could have “tremendously” helped what was mostly a sputtering offense all season.
“I have done it in the past, it’s been shown,” he said. “I think my work speaks for itself, and it’s unfortunate I couldn’t help this year.”
Smith-Schuster said aside from the overall general soreness associated with playing in an NFL game for the first time in 14 weeks, his shoulder felt fine and there were no aggravations to his injury.
Aside from the blowout loss, Smith-Schuster sounded like a man who had no regrets.
“My agent was telling me, ‘It’s a contract year. You should be careful,’ ” he said. “I talked to my mom. Mom is being a mom, you know how that is. And honestly, it just came down to personal stuff, nobody knows my body (better), and I knew I was training for this.”
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