Despite entering the offseason as a free agent, Pittsburgh Steelers’ wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster still hopes to be a part of the franchise’s long-term future.
During a recent chat with TMZ, Smith-Schuster said that he would like to continue playing in Pittsburgh and wishes to retire as a Steeler.
“At the end of the day, I want to have my legacy in Pittsburgh and retire there. I don’t want to leave,” said Smith-Schuster when asked about his future.
The 24-year-old player added that he currently couldn’t imagine himself playing in a different jersey and feels “Pittsburgh for life”.
Despite what JuJu Smith-Schuster wants, the chances of him returning to Heinz Field seem slim.
The Steelers are dealing with salary cap issues and have several pressing needs to address. Also, given their core of young wideouts, re-signing a pricey and inconsistent player in Smith-Schuster shouldn’t be at the top of their priority list.
Smith-Schuster, on the other hand, might not be willing to take less money just to remain in Pittsburgh. He will be one of the more high-profile wide receivers on the market and should get a lot better offers on the open market despite recent production struggles.
Smith-Schuster ended the 2020 NFL season with career-high nine touchdowns but only managed to get 831 receiving yards from 97 catches.
