Steelers News: JuJu Smith-Schuster realizes the challenges ahead in 2020

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 season is officially over. After finishing the year 8-8, the Steelers, and their vast fan base, has another long offseason awaiting them. Just because the games are done doesn’t mean we stop providing you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over throughout the offseason!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take at how wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster realizes the challenges that lie ahead both for him, and the Steelers, in 2020.

Let’s get to the news:

• 2020 will be a very unique season for the Steelers, especially JuJu Smith-Schuster.

JuJu: ‘We made it work’

By: Teresa Varley, Steelers.com

JuJu at the Super Bowl: JuJu Smith-Schuster is among current Steelers players in Miami this week as a part of Super Bowl LIV hype, and he shared his take of his role in the Steelers receivers room this year.

”We go to where I am the youngest guy in the room who is technically considered the oldest guy on the field based off years of experience. My leadership role, me being more vocal changed a lot. It was a pretty cool experience. You learn about yourself, your teammates, your guys. The guys we had in that room, we made it work.”

Rooney’s legacy: The inaugural Dan Rooney Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Richard Lapchick at the 15th annual Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Salute to Excellence Awards dinner as a part of Super Bowl LIV week.

Rooney, the late Steelers’ chairman, was the inspiration for the Rooney Rule. Rooney was appointed by former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to work with a committee after a report came out in 2002 about the lack of minority coaches in the NFL. Rooney worked diligently with the committee, until what became known as the Rooney Rule was passed. The Fritz Pollard Alliance was founded after the Rooney Rule passed, overseeing that teams abide by the rule. The rule requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for openings in coaching and senior football operations positions. It was recently expanded to require teams to interview women for executive positions as well, and the rule continues to be something that is a point of focus.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Art Rooney II’s congratulatory message to Troy Polamalu:

Statement by Steelers President Art Rooney II on Troy Polamalu:

I want to congratulate Troy Polamalu on being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Troy was the kind of player who was able to impact the outcome of games from his safety position, and he did it with uncanny instincts that made it almost impossible for opposing offenses to predict where he would be. A proven playmaker who never failed to come up big in the biggest games, Troy deserves to be considered among the best defensive backs in NFL history. During both the 2005 and 2008 seasons, Troy was a significant contributor to our efforts during our drive to victories in those two Super Bowls, and the interception he returned for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter of the 2008 AFC Championship Game clinched that victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Troy was truly a playmaker every time he stepped on the field, and we couldn’t be happier for him.

It will be an exciting time for Troy and his family this summer when he receives our game’s highest individual honor in Canton.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Like all of us, JuJu Smith-Schuster is concerned about Antonio Brown.

JuJu Smith-Schuster on Antonio Brown: “I’m concerned”

By: Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk

The very public unraveling of Antonio Brown over the past year has prompted some to wonder whether Brown has changed from who he was with the Steelers, or whether the Steelers managed to keep that side of Brown under wraps during his time with the team.

One of Brown’s former Pittsburgh teammates made it clear during a Thursday visit with PFT Live that the Brown we’re seeing isn’t the same Brown that played for the Steelers.

“It’s different, for sure,” receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said. “I’m concerned, like you guys. It’s a tough situation for a guy if you take away his job and his passion. Being a guy looking from the outside to the inside, he’s definitely a different dude than who he was on the field.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

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