Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster Isn’t Antonio Brown, and That’s a Good Thing

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster may be as productive as former-teammate Antonio Brown was, but the young receiver shouldn’t let that bother him.

In his nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Antonio Brown went from a relatively unknown sixth-round draft pick to one of the best and most productive receivers in NFL history. With over 11000 receiving yards and 74 receiving touchdowns as a member of the Steelers, Brown’s ability to dominate opposing defenses was a major reason why Pittsburgh’s offense was frequently among the league’s best. Though he has since become a mainstay in the headlines for his off-field actions, the fact is that Brown’s Steelers tenure was outstanding.

In his two-and-a-half seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, JuJu Smith-Schuster started with a  bang, putting up over 900 receiving yards in his rookie season before developing into one of the NFL’s most promising young players. Last season, with Brown still around, Smith-Schuster was as good, if not better, than his former All-Pro teammate. This season hasn’t been quite as explosive for the third-year receiver, but the numbers only tell part of the story and he remains a legitimate No. 1 option.

Both Brown and Smith-Schuster have been excellent on the football field, but heading into Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams, defensive back Jalen Ramsey attempted to compare the two, according to ESPN, Ramsey had the following to say,

"“No disrespect to him, he’s not Antonio Brown. I matched up with Antonio there for two years, and that was a good battle, and I held my own in those battles, and yeah, now I’m going up against a different person, different body type, different receiver a little bit. He can make plays.”"

Let’s be clear; Ramsey is 100% correct, JuJu is not Antonio Brown. But, while Ramsey seemed to phrase that as a bad thing, it’s really not. Smith-Schuster isn’t Antonio Brown and that’s a good thing.

Smith-Schuster isn’t a productive as Brown, but it’s the little things he does that make the difference. Because opposing defenses are so concerned with guarding him, the Steelers secondary receivers face much softer coverage. In recent weeks that has allowed James Washington to flash some awesome potential, and earlier in the season it allowed rookie Diontae Johnson to look like a future starter. It may not translate in the box score, but Smith-Schuster is still making a huge impact on this offense.

Beyond the off-field play, Smith-Schuster is a well-respected presence in the Steelers locker room and has completely immersed himself in Pittsburgh’s culture. While Brown’s off-field issues have created a circus around the former star, Smith-Schuster just goes out, does his job, and has a lot of fun doing it. At a position like wide receiver, it’s common for players to become disgruntled when their production falls off, but Smith-Schuster seems to understand that football is a team game and that’s refreshing to see.

No, JuJu Smith-Schuster isn’t Antonio Brown, but it’s hard to imagine that the Pittsburgh Steelers are upset with that.