JuJu Smith-Schuster could be with another team next year, signing a one-year contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers before the 2021 season. However, it’s also possible that Ben Roethlisberger could be on his way out after being with the team since 2004. PopCulture.com recently caught up with Smith-Schuster, who shared his thoughts on if Roethlisberger will be with the team in 2022.
“I think that based off this season, he’ll decide whether he’ll come back or not,” Smith-Schuster said to PopCulture. “A guy like that, you want in your locker room for a very long time, just because of the captain. He brings a role, a leadership every night, he brings to the table. But not only that, his skillset. You talk about a hell of a quarterback that’s been doing it for so long that it can help out our offense and make a big change.”
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In March, Roethlisberger signed a new contract with the Steelers to save salary cap space. He’s coming off a 2020 season where he threw for 3,803 yards and 33 touchdowns while leading the Steelers to a 12-4 record. But Roethlisberger has dealt with his share of injuries over the years, including an elbow injury that kept him out the majority of the 2019 season. Right now, the Steelers don’t have their QB of the future, and if Roethlisberger continues to play at a high level, he could be with the team next season and beyond.
As for Smith-Schuster, he’s off to a solid start to the 2021 season, catching four passes for 52 yards in the Steelers 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. He’s looking to get back to where he was in 2018, when he posted 111 receptions for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns. Smith-Schuster wants to have a big season but he really wants to have the Steelers in the mix for the Super Bowl, especially with the team falling short last year.
“I think it’s good for us to open up the show to show people where we’re at right now, to be honest,” Smith Schuster said before the game against the Bills. “So, for myself, I just think that it’s another season, just keep your head on your shoulders, just keep pushing through.”
