Even though Antonio Brown’s departure from Pittsburgh certainly did not lack in the drama department, JuJu Smith-Schuster is claiming that there is not any lingering between him and his former teammate as mandatory minicamp marches on.
Nearly 3 weeks after saying that team chemistry is”on stage” following the transaction that sent Brown to the Oakland Raiders in March, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ new No. 1 receiver addressed where things are now.
Obviously, he isn’t foreseeing any flareups such as both participated in over Twitter this spring the second time he and Brown are in the same area.
“I looked at him as a role model and in that situation I didn’t want it to end like that. I have no hard feelings ,” Smith-Schuster informed the press at his locker Wednesday. “Obviously, if we were in the exact same room, I’m going to say what’s up to him. I think hatred is a massive term to use against someone.
“At the end of the day, he’s a great player. He comes out daily, his work ethic. He worked hard. Aside from that, I really don’t have a thing towards him or anything like that.”
Smith-Schuster will probably continue to subject just as many questions about Brown this season because he has kickoffs during his budding career but he can not let it be a diversion.
Back in May, the 22-year-old said he felt like a”French bulldog barking at everybody” but, as the season approaches, Smith-Schuster might need to establish himself as the alpha among a group of recipients looking to prove themselves following the charismatic Brown’s departure.
Possibly playing with and learning from Brown his first two seasons gave the young wideout, who made the Pro Bowl in 2018 after a year with 111 grabs, 1,426 yards and 7 TDs, the essential tools to shoot within his third season?
Only time will tell if Smith-Schuster is able to secure the Steelers with an increased workload and then fill the emptiness left by the seven-time Pro Bowler.

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