The fit was perfect for all involved
Smith-Schuster happy to be with Belichick, Patriots
FOXBOROUGH — When asked why he signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Patriots in March, JuJu Smith-Schuster didn’t point to the team’s quarterback or the Patriots’ chances of winning a Super Bowl.
“Honestly? Bill, man,” Smith-Schuster said Tuesday, referring to coach Bill Belichick. “I just felt like I fit here.”
The wide receiver doesn’t have a deep relationship with Belichick, but it all began before a Week 15 game in 2018, a 17-10 Steelers win in Pittsburgh that was the last Patriots’ loss of that season before winning the Super Bowl.
After the game, Belichick sought out Smith-Schuster to offer praise to the then-second year receiver. The previous year, Smith-Schuster had six catches for 114 yards against the Patriots and almost won the game late in the fourth quarter with a 69-yard catch.
“Crazy to have Coach Belichick, a legendary coach I’ve watched my whole life, come up to me after the game and tell me he respects my game and how I play,” Smith-Schuster tweeted after the game.
Belichick respected Smith-Schuster so much that he double-teamed him in 2018, limiting Smith-Schuster to four catches for 40 yards. Smith-Schuster faced Belichick one other time with the Steelers, going for six catches and 78 yards in a 33-3 Patriots win in 2019.
“One thing I learned playing against Bill is if he ever double-teams you, you’re obviously a key player in his eyes,” Smith-Schuster said Tuesday at Gillette Stadium during his first media availability with New England reporters. “Being able to circle back around, Year 7, to be here kind of shows that he still has that [respect].”
The Patriots signed Smith-Schuster, 26, to replace the departed Jakobi Meyers and give the Patriots a physical receiving presence over the middle of the field. Smith-Schuster has 4,788 yards and 29 touchdowns over six NFL seasons — five with the Steelers, one with the Chiefs. Last year in Kansas City, Smith-Schuster had 78 catches for 933 yards and three touchdowns while helping the Chiefs win the Super Bowl.
Smith-Schuster has been participating in the Patriots’ voluntary offseason workouts the last few weeks. The Patriots transitioned to Phase II this week, which means players are now allowed to work with coaches on the field and do football-specific drills.
Smith-Schuster said he hasn’t put in much time yet with quarterback Mac Jones, but is excited to work with him.
“When I signed, Mac was like in the building already,” Smith-Schuster said. “For Mac, though, the sky is the limit. With the guys that we have here and all the weapons, it’s going to be a fun year.”
Smith-Schuster said he has put in time with the receiver group, including bowling and Top Golf outings. He said the Patriots have a good variety of weapons: DeVante Parker excels on jump balls, Tyquan Thornton has elite speed, Smith-Schuster is tough over the middle, and Kendrick Bourne can do a bit of everything.
“We definitely have enough,” Smith-Schuster said. “What’s crazy about this offense that I didn’t know about until I got here was that there’s guys that play both ways — guys that can play receiver, guys that can play in the backfield. Seeing that you can have so many weapons with these players, it just gives Mac the opportunity to do whatever he wants.”
The complexities of the Patriots offense are keeping Smith-Schuster busy. He said the terminology is different from what he had in Kansas City, and he created flash cards to help him learn.
“I feel like I’m back in college,” Smith-Schuster said. “After this, I’m going to go home, put a couple hours in, study, put on some Call of Duty, get back into studying, go to my flash cards. If you guys saw what we study, we should get a college degree for doing that.”
Smith-Schuster knows the Patriots have a reputation for being joyless, but said his experience so far has been fun.
“People always get things like, ‘The Patriots are this way or that way,’ but just being here, honestly, I love it,” he said. “Being part of this team, we have something special here, and I feel like it’s going to show this year.”