JuJu Smith-Schuster says he would have signed with Chiefs had he not re-signed with Steelers

Or maybe Smith-Schuster felt he’d be leaving Pittsburgh prematurely, particularly after Ben Roethlisberger managed to strike a new deal that will guarantee he’d be with the Steelers for 2021. The entire thing began to have a “Final Dance” really feel to it, and it looks as if Smith-Schuster did not wish to miss out, particularly after the Steelers sputtered throughout the end line in 2020 and have been a one-and-done exit within the playoffs.

“Being someplace in an environment and atmosphere, figuring out the place the group is aware of you, they know your historical past, they know the way you’re, the way to use you and stuff like that,” Smith-Schuster stated when requested what drove him to return to the Steelers. “Coming again and figuring out that I’d have Ben again for yet one more yr and taking part in my final yr, it was identical to, ‘Yo, I am gonna take my likelihood, I am gonna play with Ben.’

“Baltimore, Okay.C., they’re all nice groups, little doubt. These groups are playoff contenders yearly for the following 5 to 10 years, and I respect that about them. Tee Martin was a coach at USC who coached me, he ended up going to the Ravens and he reached out and that is how that course of began. Lamar reached out, the pinnacle coach referred to as, Marlon Humphrey’s hitting me up. It begins getting critical when the gamers begin texting you and hit you up like, ‘Yo, what’s up, bro? What we doing? Come win.’ All respect to them, and it was cool. However I feel with me it is extra so staying dwelling, staying loyal. In my scenario, we’ve a brand new OC, Ben’s coming again, my relationship with my receiver coach, Ike Hilliard, is superb. You possibly can’t beat that.

“Being dwelling with the Steelers is one of the best. It is perfect only for me, you recognize. I feel what actually folks did not get to see rather a lot is later in my profession, as a result of I handled accidents, I performed primarily slot. And coming again and taking part in exterior extra this yr and exhibiting folks that may be a No. 1 and having Ben again wholesome and me being wholesome and simply having the group that we’ve.”

Smith-Schuster positive sounds optimistic about Pittsburgh’s probabilities in 2021, sufficient to take much less cash to return to the Steelers on a one-year deal worth $8 million. We’ll be taught this season if it pays off.