Guess who is back? JuJu Smith-Schuster practiced with the Steelers three months after surgery.
If JuJu Smith-Schuster’s return to practice for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday surprised onlookers, imagine what happened inside the locker room at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
Smith-Schuster was designated to return off injured reserve three months after undergoing assumed season-ending surgery on his right shoulder, leaving the door open for him to play in the team’s wild-card game against Kansas City on Sunday.
Diontae Johnson, a wide receiver, took a double take when he watched Smith-Schuster get dressed for practice.
“I had no idea about it,” Johnson admitted. “I was also astonished to see him out there today. I saw him in the locker room and asked, ‘Yo, are you getting ready or something?’ “I’m glad he’s back.”
So is coach Mike Tomlin, though he is not making any guarantees. Smith-Schuster will be activated from injured reserve in time to face the Chiefs. The Steelers had 21 days to activate Smith-Schuster, a limit that would not apply until the Steelers reached the Super Bowl.
Tomlin isn’t sure if Smith-Schuster will wear a brace or harness to protect his shoulder from future injuries.
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“I didn’t even ask,” he replied. “It’s all about getting him onto the grass. It’s fantastic to have his energy out here. “I had a good day.”
Johnson said Smith-Schuster’s return to the practice field brought back nice memories.
“He looked smooth,” he explained. “He still has terrific hands; he’s a natural catcher, has large hands, and is a powerful man. It’s exciting just to see him go around and show that he’s JuJu.
Unlike Johnson, Tomlin was not surprised Smith-Schuster recovered so quickly after injuring his shoulder in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos. He had surgery a few days later, was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 16, and missed the last 12 games of the regular season.
“He’s worked hard in rehabilitation and gotten to this point, and we simply started the 21-day window,” he added. “We’ll look at him, see how he feels, check his level of conditioning like we normally do when people get in that window.”
Without Smith-Schuster, the Steelers relied on Ray-Ray McCloud as their primary slot receiver. McCloud ended the season with 38 receptions for 267 yards and no touchdowns. His 7.0 average per catch was lower than Smith-Schuster’s 8.6, which was the same as his career low in 2020.
“He brings back that positive energy that we need, and he’s always had,” he added. “You want to be with a guy like that. He’s all about football and his teammates. There’s never a dull time with him around.”
Johnson does not expect it to be dull if Smith-Schuster is able to rejoin the Steelers offense in time for the playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium.
“If he gets a chance to play, I’ll be excited for him to see what he can do and make plays,” the coach added. “I’m sure everyone misses seeing him dance out there. It was nice to see him out there moving around.”
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