The Pittsburgh Steelers were handed a serious blow over the weekend with JuJu Smith-Schuster undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger spoke out on the absence of their star wide receiver and made it clear how much of a loss it is for Pittsburgh on and off the field. Via Steelers.com:
“It's awful,” said Roethlisberger. “I'll speak selfishly, I'm hurt. I miss that guy, what he brings to this team, his energy, his excitement, the leadership. It sucks. It really does. And I'm not the one hurt. I spoke to him on Sunday night, and I felt his pain through the phone, speaking to his mom as well.
“It's just sometimes things aren't fair, and we don't know why they happen. A guy that's given so much, means so much to this team and to me specifically.”
The Steelers will certainly hurt without Smith-Schuster, but his numbers have been declining. This season, he had 15 catches for 129 yards and didn't tally a single touchdown. Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson will be relied upon to step up heavily as Roethlisberger's main targets.
James Washington, Ray-Ray McCloud, and Cody White should also get more touches for the Steelers with Smith-Schuster sidelined. Pittsburgh finally got back in the win column on Sunday with a 27-19 victory over the Denver Broncos. They now sit at 2-3, but are still last in the AFC North. The Steelers face the Russell Wilson-less Seattle Seahawks in Week 6.
Follow Us
Subscribe