So you think JuJu Smith-Schuster is fitting in quite comfortably with the Steelers despite being the youngest player in the NFL?
You have no idea.
Smith-Schuster has earned enough trust from his coaches and quarterback to split time with Eli Rogers as the team’s third wide receiver. He had 38 snaps in the game Sunday against Minnesota, up from 25 a week earlier against Cleveland. He scored a touchdown against the Vikings on his first NFL catch. He threw a ferocious block on safety Harrison Smith that surely made Hines Ward smile. And get this: He organized the team’s “Casino Night” end zone celebrations after his touchdown and Martavis Bryant’s earlier touchdown.
“That was definitely JuJu,” Ramon Foster said when asked about the brains behind the imaginary dice rolls.
Can we agree?
That’s fitting in nicely with your new teammates.
Ben Roethlisberger chuckled and described the celebrations as “shenanigans.” Google Smith-Schuster’s touchdown. What followed will make you laugh. He called over Le’Veon Bell, Bryant and Foster, then dropped to one knee and pretended to roll dice. David DeCastro started into the circle but quickly turned away when he realized what was happening. “Coach [Mike] Tomlin pointed that out the other day,” Roethlisberger said. “It was one of the funniest things you’ll ever see. Dave was like, ‘I’m not getting involved in that.’ ”
Roethlisberger was much more thrilled with Smith-Schuster’s work to get his touchdown. It started with Smith-Schuster lined up on the wing to Roethlisberger’s left. He came across the field at the snap and looked as if he were going to block defensive end Danielle Hunter only to turn up field, take Roethlisberger’s shovel pass and score the 4-yard touchdown. The Steelers were going to run that play for their 2-point conversion try after Bryant’s touchdown but didn’t get a chance because of a delay-of-game penalty at least, in part, because of Bryant’s dice roll.
“We’ve been working on that play since camp,” Smith-Schuster said. “My receivers coach [Richard Mann] told me to be acting as I came across. He said, ‘You’re from California, right? You’re from Hollywood, right? Go out there and be acting and get the ball and score a touchdown.’ ”
That’s exactly what Smith-Schuster did.
“I was supposed to point [at Hunter] like, ‘I’m coming for you, I’m coming for you.’ I just cut it up right behind my boys.”
The Steelers ran a similar play later in the game and Smith-Schuster drilled Smith with a block. Smith probably still is wondering what hit him.
“We put him in more and more difficult situations every week,” Roethlisberger said. “Coach keeps asking me, ‘Are we doing too much? Let me know if he seems a little confused or if he’s not processing things quickly.’ I don’t see any of that. It doesn’t seem like he’s overwhelmed. He’s in the game. He seems to have it. He’s got a great amount of smarts, some savvy to him. He’s got some savvy that you almost don’t expect from a rookie.”
Especially a rookie who isn’t old enough to go out with his teammates and legally celebrate a win with an adult beverage. Smith-Schuster doesn’t turn 21 until Nov. 22.
“It’s crazy,” Roethlisberger said.
It’s fun to think of what Smith-Schuster can become. He is far from a finished product. His false-start penalty Sunday and his two holding penalties in the opening game at Cleveland are proof. So was his poor decision against the Vikings to return a kickoff 5 yards deep in his end zone and making it out to only the 15 instead of taking a knee and giving his offense the ball at the 25. “I’ve got to sit down there,” Smith-Schuster said.
There also was this from Roethlisberger Sunday:
“We had a run play called, but I gave him a little something that he should run a route and just step up and catch the ball. It was a subtle thing. He missed the signal and ended up blocking. I got on him about it. [Antonio Brown] wouldn’t have missed it. Those guys are used to seeing it …
“The same situation came up late in the game. Everything was the same. This time, he got it. I threw a quick out to him and he got the first down. That’s where you see his growth. I think that’s awesome.”
As for Smith-Schuster’s “Casino Night” celebrations?
“You probably won’t see me getting involved in any of those,” Roethlisberger said, grinning.
That doesn’t mean Roethlisberger would mind seeing a few more this season.
A lot more, actually.
Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com and Twitter @RonCookPG. Ron Cook can be heard on the “Cook and Poni” show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 93.7 The Fan.
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First Published: September 20, 2017, 10:00 a.m.