JuJu Smith-Schuster has now played for three NFL franchises, and three times he’s changed teams.
He’s already won a Super Bowl ring with the Kansas City Chiefs, and he’s playing for another championship Sunday in his second go-around with that team.
Still, Smith-Schuster looks back longingly at his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Approached in New Orleans earlier this week by an Atlanta-based reporter and asked what has been his “favorite stop” in the NFL, Smith-Schuster’s answer might have surprised.
“I really did enjoy Pittsburgh,” Smith-Schuster said. “That was my first five years. I always say where you start off first, it’s the best.”
Smith-Schuster is easily the highest-profile of the short list of former Steelers players expected to appear in Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX. He was a second-round pick of the Steelers in 2017. He was part of the Pro Football Writers of America’s all-rookie team that year and was named to the Pro Bowl in his second season.
Playing under the terms of his first NFL contract from 2017-20, Smith-Schuster became one of the most popular and recognizable — if, at times, polarizing — players. Over those first four years, Smith-Schuster averaged 77 catches, 932 yards and 6 1/2 touchdowns per season.
But injury concerns began affecting Smith-Schuster, and his production has fallen off considerably. Since that rookie contract expired, Smith-Schuster has experienced free agency each of the past five offseasons. He re-signed with the Steelers on a one-year deal in 2021, signed with the Chiefs for one year the following spring and joined the New England Patriots on a three-year contract in March 2023. But after a 29-catch season, New England cut him loose this summer.
But old friend Andy Reid — the Chiefs’ veteran coach — called two weeks later.
“It was awesome,” Smith-Schuster said of that call this week. “Pretty much said, ‘Hey, how you doing? Are you healthy? Excited to see what we can do to get you back.’ ”
Now in his eighth season, Smith-Schuster served in a complementary role for the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City offense. Among wide receivers on the team. Smith-Schuster ranked fifth in targets (26), catches (18), receiving yards (231) and receiving touchdowns (two).
That’s a far cry from even 2022 when Smith-Schuster led Chiefs wide receivers in targets (101), catches (78) and yards (933) — but Smith-Schuster does have the longest reception of any Kansas City wide receiver during the playoffs: 30 yards during the AFC championship game.
Still just 28 years old, Smith-Schuster is a grizzled NFL veteran and so-called “possession” receiver — long from the youthful, big-play machine he was in the late 2010s for the Steelers.
He also could be in line for a second Super Bowl ring.
“Unbelievable,” Smith-Schuster said at media day in New Orleans, in looking back at his career. “Eight years in, entering this league when I was (20) years old and now being able to do this and keep on? It’s unbelievable. Super blessed, honestly.”
It’s possible that the only other former Steeler to play Sunday might be Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Fred Johnson, a backup tackle who plays on special teams. Johnson never appeared in a regular-season game for the Steelers but was on their 53-man roster for six weeks in 2019 after he made the team as an undrafted rookie.
Then again, it’s within the realm of possibility that among Steelers fans Smith-Schuster’s contributions are dwarfed by whatever happens if Kenny Pickett is to be called upon during Sunday’s game. Pickett, of course, was the Steelers’ first-round pick in 2022 and was designated as their franchise quarterback for years to come … until he was traded to Philadelphia following a subpar 2023 season.
Pickett is the Eagles’ backup to Jalen Hurts.
On the Chiefs practice squad are two former Steelers cornerbacks, Steven Nelson and Darius Rush (cut Oct. 1).
Nelson in 2019 was signed to what at the time was the largest contract the Steelers had ever given to an unrestricted free agent (three years, $25.5 million). He played two seasons with the Steelers and is now on his third team since, getting lured out of retirement by Reid late this fall.
Rush spent roughly a calendar year with the Steelers — Oct. 18, 2023 to Oct. 1, 2024 — appearing in five games.
It is unlikely either Nelson or Rush is in uniform Sunday. The Chiefs would have to announce any practice squad elevation Saturday.