Dulac: JuJu Smith-Schuster ‘Would Like To Play In A Major Market’ To Expand His Brand

You already learn the title earlier than entering into, so you realize precisely what that is going to be about, and you realize precisely what the reactions are going to be within the feedback part, however we’ve got to get by means of this collectively anyway, so let’s start.

Extensive receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is among the many most important names heading into the free company marketplace for the Pittsburgh Steelers in a few months. The four-year veteran recorded greater than 300 receptions for 3700-plus yards and 26 touchdowns since being chosen within the second spherical in 2017, making the Professional Bowl in 2018.

After posting a career-high 9 landing receptions in 2020, Smith-Schuster adopted that up with a 13-catch, 157-yard efficiency within the Steelers’ postseason loss this weekend that was capped off with one other landing seize.

Despite the fact that he performs a essential half within the crew’s offense, they’ve drafted three different receivers excessive within the three drafts after taking him, most notably Diontae Johnson in 2019 and Chase Claypool final yr, who threatened Smith-Schuster’s 917-yard crew rookie receiving yardage report and broke or tied different crew rookie data.

Whereas the Steelers wish to re-sign the 24-year previous, the monetary realities make issues tough, and based on Gerry Dulac, there might be different problems at play in figuring out the place he desires to play in 2021 and past.

Writing for the Pittsburgh Put up-Gazette, Dulac claims sources in saying that “Smith-Schuster would like to play in a major market where he could expand his off-field brand and burgeoning social-media presence”.

Presumably, the overwhelming majority of gamers would like to play in a significant market that may enable them to broaden their model, e.g. give them alternatives to make more cash. That doesn’t essentially imply that determines their free company choices.

Smith-Schuster, in fact, is a distinguished social media person and model ambassador, and there’s little question that Steelers followers will instantly settle for the plausibility of what Dulac wrote. He has been getting cash by means of sponsors since his rookie yr, in order that’s not precisely stunning.

Even Claypool has talked about how one of many greatest influences that Smith-Schuster has had on him this season was together with his off-field recommendation about how you can construct your model. It’s apparent that this can be a important a part of the dialog for him—as it’s for a lot of, {many professional} athletes, and for almost all of people who find themselves within the public sector and have a chance to use their id for revenue.