Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster isn’t just a fan favorite. He’s also winning over his teammates. In fact, he’s been voted by his fellow Steelers players as the team’s MVP for the second year in a row, according to Jacob Klinger of PennLive.com.
The Steelers declared Smith-Schuster as the winner of this year’s team MVP Thursday afternoon, days after the rising star wideout recorded 115 receiving yards on 11 catches and 15 targets in a 31-28 road loss to the New Orleans Saints.
The timing of Smith-Schuster’s recognition as the team’s most valuable player, however, comes on the heels also of a forgettable moment for the USC Trojans’ product in the Saints game. Although Smith-Schuster had an overall glowing performance opposite New Orleans’ defense, he committed a late-game turnover that hit the Steelers like a punch in the gut.
Nevertheless, Smith-Schuster has proven to be among the most reliable playmakers around quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who once won team MVP back in 2009.
Smith-Schuster could atone that error this coming Sunday if he could put up another impressive performance and save the day for the Steelers in a must-win game against the Cincinnati Bengals at home. They also either need the Cleveland Browns to beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday or the Indianapolis Colts and the Tennessee Titans game to end in a tie to sneak into the playoffs.
On the season, Juju Smith-Schuster has 1,389 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 106 receptions.