Rookie WR soaking in his new city
fans as he soaked in the sights of his new city just 72 hours before he had to report to Saint Vincent College for his first NFL training camp.
9:01 a.m.: DeLuca’s, Strip District
If one didn’t know SmithSchuster exited his teenage years last fall, they’d guess it by his taste in fashion. He arrives for breakfast sporting a black and gray checkered Adidas hat, gray Adidas sweatpants and gray Adidas shoes, unlaced. The only nonAdidas apparel is a black team-issued Steelers shirt.
Between posing for pictures with fans and devouring his pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs, the conversation turns to two USC alums Smith-Schuster would liketo emulate. One is former Steelers receiver and Pro Football Hall of Famer Lynn Swann, who befriended him shortly after he was hired as USC’s athletic director last year. The other is former Steelers defensive back Troy Polamalu, who has more in common with Smith-Schusterthan team colors.
Itmight come as a surprise to Steelers fans that SmithSchuster is the next in a long line of NFL players with Samoanancestry.
His mother, Sammy, is of Samoan descent. His biological father, Lee, is black. That might explain why he is mistaken for Le’Veon Bell more than Polamalu when he’s out andabout in his new city.
But Smith-Schuster is proud of his Samoan heritage and loyal to his surname. When he was 4, his mother met fellow Samoan Lawrence Schuster. They married, and Lawrence raised JuJuas his own son.
JuJu legally changed his last name as a sophomore in college. In Samoan culture, a last name defines a family and what it represents. He wanted to honor the man whoraised him.
“He taught me everything Iknow,” he said.
JuJu said the reason he kept Smith incorporated in his surname is his aunt Samantha, his biological dad’s sister who remains in his life. He said his father is not.
The second-oldest of seven children, JuJu was raised in a home with 23 other family members. His immediate family occupied the garage of the family home while his grandparents, aunts and uncles and their children lived inthe house.
“The meals were the best because it was like a big buffet every night,” JuJu said. “My mom and my aunts would rotate cooking. There were never any leftovers. We ate McDonald’s a lot, too, becauseit was cheap.”
Smith-Schuster is the youngest player in the NFL this year — he won’t turn 21 until November — but his family won’t join him in Pittsburgh.He went home for a month after minicamp to train and to spend time with his family. His mom and dad will come for a home game this season, but JuJu is enjoyinghis independence.
“I like being alone,” he said.
It’s hard to blame him. Earlier this summer, when Smith-Schuster moved into his South Side residence, it marked the first time in his 20 years that he ever had a bedroomof his own.
Sports are big in Samoan culture, football in particular. From Polamalu to Chris Fuamatu Ma’afala of Steelers fame to Jack Thompson (”The Throwin’ Samoan”) and Junior Seau, an inordinate number of players with Samoan heritage play in the NFL. According to a 2015 article in Forbes, Samoans are 56 times more likely to play in the NFL than any non-SamoanAmerican.
One of the reasons Steelers coaches love Smith-Schuster is his competitiveness and his passion. He has already drawn comparisons to Hines Ward, the former Steelers receiver who delighted coaches and fans alike with his physical brand of football.
In today’s NFL, receivers can be divas. Some even have alter egos named Ronald Ocean.
Smith-Schuster is far from adiva. It’d be impossible with hisbackground.
He played rugby for six years before having to give up the sport upon accepting his scholarship to USC. Rugby is big in the Samoan community, and SmithSchuster’s uncle had a club teamcalled the Spartans.
“I would always play above my age group,” said Smith-Schuster, who is a sturdy 6 feet 2 and weighs 216 pounds. “My last year I got suspended for clotheslining a kid. I got suspended for the wholeyear. They let me come back in the playoffs, and we wonthe championship.”
Smith-Schuster won’t be able to clothesline opposing defenders in the NFL, but the Steelers plan to use his blocking skills.
11:10 a.m.: Kennywood Park, West Mifflin
Kennywood is up next, a place Smith-Schuster might visit more than the natives. This is already his second trip. He went with a friend in thespring and left impressed.
His favorite ride was Phantom’s Revenge. He bought the VIP Coaster Tour and zipped around the park without dealing with the long lines.
This visit started with Smith-Schuster autographing a Kennywood Arrow and continued with a picture with Kenny the Kangaroo at thepark’s entrance.
“That’s Le’Veon Bell,” a teenage boy said to his group offriends as he walked by.
It happened again a short time later, when SmithSchuster waited to get on Phantom’sRevenge.
“Le’Veon,” yelled another boyas he exited the ride.
Smith-Schuster has fun with the cases of mistaken identity.
“I’m not surprised,” JuJu said. “That happens a lot. I was at Dave & Buster’s, and someone came up to me and said, ‘Le’Veon, can I have yourautograph?’ “SoI signed it: LB 26.” He let out a big laugh after relaying the story.
After Phantom’s Revenge, it was off to the Thunderbolt and then the Racer. A Kennywoodemployee led the way to the VIP entrance to the coaster. But Smith-Schuster strayed and headed toward theriders standing in line.
When he found out the 90year old wooden coaster ride was indeed an actual race, he asked the patrons for hints about choosing a winner. It’s an old Kennywood tradition forriders to try and figure out which train will win before choosing a color, and SmithSchuster is no different than anyoneelse in this regard.
After careful considerationhe chose the blue train.
Ninety two seconds later, hereturned a winner.
“I’m not trying to take any Ls,”he said.
This just might be his favorite spot in the park. Next to the Racer is a Rita’s, his goto spot since arriving in Pittsburgh.When the subject of favorite eateries in Pittsburgh is brought up he unabashedly says the Italian Ice shops.
He usually frequents the one in Oakland. Mango and Swedish Fish are his favorite flavors. He goes with a large Mango and enjoys it as he walks back toward the entrance.
Before departing, he samples some Potato Patch fries andrides the Sky Coaster.
Stop No. 2 of the tour is complete. Another Uber picks him up and takes him to the third and final stop of his tour.
This might be a good time to mention ride-sharing services are JuJu’s preferred mode of transportation, mostly because he doesn’t have a driver’s license. His manager, Jisset Pena, has been on him to get his learner’s permit before training camp, but he doesn’t seem movedto make it happen.
He plans to ride to training camp with fellow rookie James Conner. Once camp breaks in mid-August, he’ll do the same for practices to the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Or he’ll buy a bike and ride it to work. He hasn’t decidedyet.
“Are there any bikes that would go in the snow?” he asks.
Smith-Schuster is tight with the other members of his rookie class, but he’s kept alow profile with veterans on the team, including his fellow receivers and quarterback BenRoethlisberger.
He is anything but standoffish, but he’s taking the approach that rookies should be seen and not heard.
“My mentality this year is ‘Actions speak louder than words,’ ” he said. “I have yet to prove myself. I have to earn their respect by playing and helping the team win. I was the same way at USC, quiet at first. Eventually, I’ll open up and talk to the vets.”
1:20 p.m.: Duquesne Incline, Station Square
Smith-Schuster polled his nearly 69,000 Twitter followers and asked where he should visit on his tour. The final destination was the DuquesneIncline.
It’s older than the wooden coasters at Kennywood — by halfa century.
Opened in 1877, the Duquesne Incline celebrated its 140th anniversary in May. Smith-Schuster takes a seat on the creaky wooden cable car and takes in the view as it ascendsup Mt. Washington.
Once it gets to the top of the mountain Smith-Schuster walks out to the overlook with a clear view of Heinz Field, which strangely is the most unfamiliar of Pittsburgh’sthree sports venues.
Smith-Schuster and the other rookies attended a Pirates game at PNC Park this spring, and he attended every Penguins home game during the Stanley Cup final. When the Penguins brought the Stanley Cup to Steelers practice in June, SmithSchuster couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.
He never watched a hockey game in person until this year. He attended his first game in Nashville while on a predraft visit to the Tennessee Titans in April and became hooked on the sport. It was a playoff game against theBlackhawks.
When he arrived in Pittsburgh he quickly learned hockey was part of this city’s fabric. He bought a No. 87 Crosby sweater, and his next purchasewill be a No. 30 Matt Murray.
“He’s dope,” Smith-Schuster said.
One last glance from the overlook before ascending down the mountain, SmithSchuster remarks how he can’t wait to play at Heinz Field.
That will happen in 27 days, when the Steelers play host to the Falcons in the preseason home opener. Twenty seven days after that, the Vikings visit for the first-regularseason home game.
Maybe by then, he won’t bemistaken for Le’Veon Bell.