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Vast receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has change into probably the most divisive figures in Pittsburgh over the course of the previous yr or two. Anointed as one thing like the subsequent nice celebrity for the Steelers throughout his first two years, the dearth of high-volume manufacturing over the previous two seasons and a few off-field social media and persona decisions have led some to really feel that the workforce could be higher off with out him.
That gained’t occur for not less than one other yr, nevertheless, as he re-signed with the Steelers on a one-year, $8 million deal, and not less than publicly, it doesn’t seem as if any of his teammates have been part of that group that may have quite seen him gone.
Alex Highsmith, who figures to be one of many workforce’s latest full-time starters in 2021 on the defensive aspect of the ball, was requested about Smith-Schuster’s re-signing and what which means not only for the offense, however the workforce general, throughout a radio interview on Mad Canine Radio on SiriusXM yesterday.
“JuJu’s nice. He’s been a face of this franchise for the previous couple years and he’s a fantastic teammate”, the second-year edge rusher stated. “Each time we acquired the information that he was coming again, I believe all of us acquired excited, as a result of he means so much to this workforce. He’s a really helpful asset to this workforce. I’m simply excited that he’s gonna be capable to come again to be one other risk within the receiving sport. It’s simply gonna be thrilling to have him again and simply to see what he can do once more this yr”.
Smith-Schuster got here beneath scrutiny a number of instances simply in the course of the 2020 season alone, most notably for his choice to take his TikToking onto the soccer subject, throughout which he would have fellow vast receiver Chase Claypool file him dancing on the logos at heart subject of the stadiums by which the Steelers have been set to play, occurring throughout pre-game warmups.
Whereas many seen this act as disrespectful, the first frustration appeared to be that it will gasoline their opponents to play more durable, and delt that there’s by no means any good purpose for giving others motivation to greatest you.
Towards the tip of the season, when requested to touch upon the event of the Cleveland Browns since even final season, he remarked that “the Browns is the Browns”, which grew to become one thing of a slogan in Cleveland, one which gamers freely and excitedly adopted, particularly after the Browns defeated the Steelers within the postseason.
Because the finish of the yr, many have discovered his strategy to free company distasteful, together with ribbing followers by stay streaming himself enjoying video video games in different groups’ uniforms, all of the whereas giving interviews by which he said clearly that he needed to remain in Pittsburgh if it was within the playing cards.
It turned out that the shuffling of the deck allowed for that to happen, and Smith-Schuster’s teammates are excited to have him again, but when the final a number of months have proven us something, he’ll should put in some effort to win again a number of the followers he’s misplaced.
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