When JuJu Smith-Schuster joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2017, he was the youngest player in the NFL and trailed Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant on the depth chart.
When Smith-Schuster stepped onto the field for the start of organized team activities, he still was the youngest wide receiver on the roster. But at just 22 years old, he was also the unquestioned leader of his position group.
With Brown and Bryant both gone, Smith-Schuster has said that so much of the drama that plagued the Steelers last season has since gone away as well.
Asked about Brown’s tweet criticizing Smith-Schuster for fumbling against New Orleans with 32 seconds left, the Steelers now No. 1 receiver didn’t bite.
“At the end of the day, that’s his opinion,” Smith-Schuster said, via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “For myself, I stand from afar. I’m not worried about what he’s got going on with his team. I wish him nothing but the best. He’s a great player. He dominates on the field. I’m worrying about the guys we have here, my teammates and how I can be great on and off the field.”
Smith-Schuster isn't worried about any pressure to match the numbers Brown posted in his nine seasons in Pittsburgh. The Pro Bowl receiver leaves the Steelers having contributed 11,207 receiving yards and 74 touchdowns, an average of 1,245 yards and eight touchdowns per season.
In reality, it will take a village to replace Brown. However, Smith-Schuster thinks he and his fellow receivers are up for the challenge.
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