A New World
WR Smith-Schuster provides a case study in Steelers Life after Brown.
JuJu Smith-Schuster politely declined an interview request Wednesday afternoon after practice.
“I’m going to talk tomorrow,” he said before walking off to the locker room.
About 15 minutes later, a representative from the Steelers media relations department let reporters know that Smith-Schuster was back on the field and available for interviews. Smith-Schuster was accommodating after he was escorted back onto the field. He answered questions about his relationship with Antonio Brown, about his new role as the No. 1 receiver and even a few about his French bulldog.
At the end, before he again walked off to the locker room, he hinted at who was behind his change of heart.
“When you guys see Ben tomorrow, tell him I came out here and did an interview,” Smith-Schuster said. “He said I was trending to that oneday [a week] interview guy. I’m definitely not doing that. You guys can talk to me any time of the day. I promise you I’m not going to be an [expletive].”
That sequence, after an otherwise mundane OTA in May, was a fascinating look into how the Steelers are regrouping after the Antonio Brown era. The truth is other Steelers employees in addition to Ben Roethlisberger don’t want SmithSchuster to turn into the next Brown, whose once-a-week media sessions turned into locker room spectacles.
Not even Roethlisberger, a two-time
“I promise you I’m not going to be an [expletive].” JuJu Smith-Schuster
Super Bowl winning quarterback and the team’s highest-paid player, limits himself to once-a-week interviews. He is available almost any day of the week before or after practice.
The Steelers allowed Brown to become a spectacle by allowing him special privileges, which included having his own photographer on the field during practices. No other player enjoyed such privileges.
General manager Kevin Colbert spoke at length during the winter months about better managing the young stars on the team.
“We want players to grow into great players — Pro Bowlers, potential Hall of Famers,” Colbert said at the NFL combine. “But what we’re learning is it’s a different world. Social media has changed things. Branding has changed things. We have to do a better job of managing young players as they grow into mega-stars. We’re learning on the fly. But maybe the lesson is we have to catch these guys when they’re young.”
If the message wasn’t getting through during the offseason, the Steelers made sure it was heard Wednesday.
‘No drama’
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The one Smith-Schuster posted March 10 was worth 26,304 retweets.
It was a photo posted on Twitter of Smith-Schuster making an acrobatic touchdown catch in the back of the end zone against the Raiders, with Brown far off in the distance. The caption was simply two words: “I’m ready.”
A few weeks later, after Smith-Schuster tweeted support of Roethlisberger after the quarterback was criticized by Le’Veon Bell, Brown came back at Smith-Schuster on social media and attacked his integrity.
In the end, Smith-Schuster responded with a quote from Mark Twain: “Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.”
Like a lot of other Steelers, Smith-Schuster’s relationship with Brown did not end well.
“At the end of the day, that’s his opinion,” SmithSchuster said Wednesday. “I’m not worried about what he has going on with his team. I wish him nothing but the best. He’s a great player. He dominates on the field. For me, I’m worried about my teammates and how I can be great on and off the field.”
Ready or not, Smith -Schuster is the Steelers’ new No. 1 receiver. He’s only 22, but he is easily the team’s most accomplished passcatcher. In his first two NFL seasons, he has 169 receptions, 2,343 yards and 14 touchdowns. He had more receptions and yards than Brown last season.
“It’s super exciting,” Smith-Schuster said. “I think of it like, it’s not about being the No. 1 guy. I mean, yeah, you have a No. 1 quarterback and a No. 1 running back, but at the end of the day, it’s a collective game. The only way you move the ball is if all 11 guys make plays and do their job. That’s what it’s going to take to win the Super Bowl.”
The big difference for Smith-Schuster next season will be how he handles more attention from defensive coordinators. Brown faced constant double-coverage and sometimes triple-coverage. Smith-Schuster and other Steelers receivers were the beneficiaries.
Now, Smith-Schuster is the top receiver, and he knows he’s about to face bigger challenges.
“No doubt,” Smith-Schuster said. “We saw it playing against the Patriots, they doubled me and A.B. It’s nothing new. This year it will be the same thing. I’m going to be getting the same coverage, the doubles. We have guys like [Donte] Moncrief, James [Washington], all these guys. We have so many guys who can make plays. I’m not worried about that.”
When he was asked if there was a better vibe in the receivers room, SmithSchuster said: “The chemistry is on point. Everyone is on the same page. Everyone is communicating. There really is no drama in our locker room.”
The Steelers aren’t just hoping it stays that way. They’re doing everything possible to make sure it does.