Kansas City Chiefs playmaker reflects on transforming from being the youngest player in NFL to accomplished veteran
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has had an accomplished eight-year NFL career. He was the youngest player selected in the 2017 NFL Draft when the Pittsburgh Steelers took him in the second round. He made an immediate impact, catching 58 passes for 917 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. Smith-Schuster is also the […]
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has had an accomplished eight-year NFL career.
He was the youngest player selected in the 2017 NFL Draft when the Pittsburgh Steelers took him in the second round. He made an immediate impact, catching 58 passes for 917 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie.
Smith-Schuster is also the youngest player to reach 2,500 career receiving yards, and has eclipsed the 800-yard receiving mark four times. If not for a long list of injuries that he has endured, he could be one of the most decorated WRs of the last decade.
Regardless, he has still carved a career that many wish they could have had. These days Smith-Schuster is more of a role player as he's in his second stint with the Chiefs. When asked by Fox Sports' Peter Schrager during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night what has changed between now and his last championship run with Kansas City, Smith-Schuster said not much.
"Honestly it's the same," Smith-Schuster said. "When I left this team, it was a great atmosphere, great culture, and then coming back two years later it's the same. Same guys doing the same things. Obviously, (coach) Andy Reid and (general manager) Brett Veach have some different pieces in different spots, but, still the same culture, same atmosphere."
Schrager went on to ask Smith-Schuster if he takes time to reflect on his career.
"Ideally, during the summer is when I kick back on vacation, overlooking the beach, just hanging out," Smith-Schuster said. "I tell my family all the time like, man, I'm so blessed. We're so blessed and so thankful for, the opportunity that God has blessed me to be where I'm at today. But, yeah, I came into the league at 19, now 28-years-old. So, we're getting there."
Smith-Schuster may not be the same caliber playmaker he once was, but he can still make an impact. He caught two passes for 60 yards during the AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills in crucial moments. He is a smart player who does a great job of finding open spots in coverage to get open, and still has yards-after-catch ability. Watch for him to potentially be an under-the-radar option against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
