JuJu Smith-Schuster: No hard feelings against A.B.
While Antonio Brown’s departure from Pittsburgh certainly didn’t lack in the play area, JuJu Smith-Schuster is maintaining that there is none lingering between him and his former teammate as mandatory minicamp marches on.
Almost three months after saying that team chemistry is”on point” following the transaction that sent Brown to the Oakland Raiders in March, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ new No. 1 recipient addressed where things are now.
Obviously, he’s not foreseeing any flareups such as the two engaged in over Twitter this spring up the second time he and Brown are in the exact same area.
“I looked at him as a role model and in that scenario I didn’t want it to end like that. I don’t have any hard feelings against him,” Smith-Schuster informed the press at his locker Wednesday. “Obviously, if we were in precisely the exact same room, I will say what’s up to him. I think hatred is a huge term to use against someone.
“At the end of the afternoon, he is a great player. He comes out every day, his work ethic. He worked hard. Aside from that, I really don’t have a thing towards him or anything like that.”
Smith-Schuster will likely continue to field as many questions regarding Brown this season as he has kickoffs throughout his budding career but he can’t allow it to be a distraction.
Back in May, the 22-year-old stated he felt like a”French bulldog barking at everybody” but, as the season approaches, Smith-Schuster might need to set himself as the alpha one of a group of receivers appearing to prove themselves following the charismatic Brown’s departure.
Possibly playing together and learning from Brown his first two seasons gave the young wideout, who made the Pro Bowl in 2018 following a year with 111 catches, 1,426 yards and 7 TDs, the necessary tools to take within his third year?
Only time will tell if Smith-Schuster is able to secure the Steelers with an increased workload and then fill the void left by the seven-time Pro Bowler.
