JuJu Smith-Schuster relishes role as Steelers’ No. 1 hype man – Pittsburgh Steelers Blog

PITTSBURGH — Nonetheless holding the soccer after he scored for the second time this season, Pittsburgh Steelers huge receiver James Washington ignored to JuJu Smith-Schuster, who was ready for him in the long run zone.

Smith-Schuster stooped and hoisted the 5-foot-11, 213-pound receiver throughout his shoulders, holding on to his proper leg with one hand and his proper hand with the opposite as he twirled Washington round. Eric Ebron grabbed the ball in Washington’s outstretched left hand and jumped in a circle across the pair as he held the ball within the air.

It ought to come as no shock the celebration was Smith-Schuster’s brainchild.

“We really did not apply that,” Washington stated. “That was simply JuJu simply pondering. So we have been type of pondering like ‘The Recent Prince of Bel-Air,’ the place they type of picked [Will Smith] up and spun him on the courtroom.”

Washington, after all, is describing a second within the intro to the favored Nineties sitcom, which aired its finale six months earlier than Smith-Schuster, 23, was born. Even nonetheless, it is related in in the present day’s popular culture — particularly for a child from Los Angeles.

“One thing all of us grew up with and I might say all of us watched is ‘Recent Prince of Bel-Air,'” Smith-Schuster stated. “It’s extremely humorous that we are able to relate to that. So I choose up James, spun him round. The boys round me, we’re simply having fun with our time. A whole lot of our celebrations both might come the evening earlier than, the week earlier than and even the collection earlier than we go on the market. When you rating a number of touchdowns with a number of huge receivers, once we run out of celebrations, we make them up as we go.”

By way of 5 video games, Smith-Schuster appears to be like much less like Pittsburgh’s No. 1 receiver and extra like its No. 1 hype man — and that is not a knock.

It is a byproduct of the balanced passing assault, one which has given Smith-Schuster loads of alternatives to get inventive with TD celebrations and energize his teammates.

“He’s the enjoyable chief within the group,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger stated. “He brings a number of vitality and pleasure to the group. That is what we’re enthusiastic about. Once I stated final week that he was excited for different guys, what you see on Sunday is what you get with JuJu. He’s that man. That is actually who he’s; he is not placing on a present. He loves taking part in the sport and he loves the teammates, and I feel that could be a nice mixture.”

Coming into a contract 12 months tabbed because the No. 1 huge receiver, it will be simple for Smith-Schuster to get upset about having modest totals for targets (28), yards (194), touchdowns (3) and receptions (23). However that is not his perspective. Praised by Roethlisberger per week in the past for his selflessness throughout Chase Claypool‘s big day, Smith-Schuster echoed that perspective on Wednesday, after his lowest receiving yard whole since his rookie debut: two receptions for six yards.

“Folks have been speaking about, ‘He solely bought me two factors this week for fantasy.’ I used to be like, ‘Properly, I imply, I might somewhat have two factors and be 5-0 than to be 1-4 and to have 25 fantasy factors,” Smith-Schuster stated. “So for me, I prefer it for myself, so I am at all times having enjoyable regardless.”

Coming into Sunday’s recreation in opposition to the unbeaten Tennessee Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS), Roethlisberger has thrown 11 touchdowns to 5 totally different pass-catchers, together with one to Ebron, the tight finish.

“I simply really feel like now we have so many weapons, you simply by no means know who’s gonna have a day,” Washington stated. “With as many mouths to feed on offense as now we have, you may’t simply maintain one man or two guys, as a result of I really feel like everybody’s able to having a giant recreation.”

Roethlisberger, who entered the 12 months considerably involved about constructing chemistry along with his newer receivers in an abbreviated offseason, is confidently spreading the ball round. And every week, a sizzling goal emerges.

Not too long ago, it has been the rookie Claypool and Washington, however Smith-Schuster had two landing catches within the season opener in opposition to the New York Giants. To have a good time his first, he did the “Who’s Subsequent?” dance, popularized on TikTok, and Ebron and Diontae Johnson joined in.

“TikTok is standard proper now,” Smith-Schuster informed teammate Bud Dupree on Dupree’s net collection. “So we seize the followers from TikTok and get them to tune in and get my teammates concerned. The extra individuals you may have, the higher it’s. Everybody’s like, ‘Oh my god, no, he didn’t simply try this.'”

After the second landing, he ran to the objective line and lay on his abdomen in entrance of the pylon digital camera, cradled his face in his palms and kicked his ft backwards and forwards behind him. He initially deliberate to choose up the pylon digital camera for a selfie, he informed Dupree, however when he had checked with a referee forward of time, he was informed that wasn’t allowed.

Smith-Schuster would not simply have a good time when he will get into the tip zone. He additionally helps his teammates provide you with choreography.

He bought Claypool on TikTok and taught him a few of the viral dances, one thing that got here in fairly useful throughout Claypool’s four-touchdown day in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles.

In one in every of Claypool’s celebrations, he mimed that the soccer was glued to his hand. Then Smith-Schuster and Washington ran over and pretended to tug the ball actually laborious. All three of them fell over because the ball got here “unstuck” from Claypool’s glove. On one other TD, working again James Conner pretended to field Claypool within the nook. The following time, Claypool ran again to the tip zone, pretending to assist Washington reel in a fish, performed by Smith-Schuster. Then Washington and Claypool posed with the horizontal Smith-Schuster on the sphere.

“I am having enjoyable on a regular basis, whether or not I get the ball or not, whether or not I get two catches for 10 yards or I get six catches for 60 yards,” Smith-Schuster stated. “For me, it is extra so in regards to the group, the ambiance. If our protection is having enjoyable they usually’re doing their job, offense is having enjoyable, my teammates are having enjoyable, I are available with the celebrations.”