NFL: Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster to stop TikTok dances on opposition logos
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is one of the most marketable young stars in the National Football League. He uses social media better than almost every other player and has been the face of the Madden videogames franchise.
In recent weeks, however, he has been embroiled in controversy over TikTok videos posted online of him dancing on opposing teams' logos.
After the Steelers' third straight loss Monday night, against the lowly Cincinnati Bengals, to fall to 11-3, Smith-Schuster announced he would no longer be dancing on logos.
“For the betterment of myself and my teammates, I'm going to stop dancing on the logos," Smith-Schuster said.
Smith-Schuster became the laughing stock of NFL social media during and after Monday's game, receiving shots from other players, media personalities, and even the Bengals Twitter account. The Bengals Twitter account referred to him as a 'TikTok Star' in a video where Bengal Vonn Bell tackled and forced a fumble against the Steeler.
Before the Week 15 meeting between Pittsburgh and Cinci, Bell had said, with respect to the dancing:
"You've got to go out there between the lines, go out there and hit him."
The Smith-Schuster fumble was the Steelers wideout's only significant impact on Monday night's game. He finished with three catches for fifteen yards and a fumble, enough for negative fantasy points in most standard formats.
Smith-Schuster disappoints on the field in 2020?
The former second-round draft pick has struggled in 2020, at least for his standards. Smith-Schuster has registered 82 receptions for 670 yards and seven touchdowns in his 14 2020 games. With the Steelers becoming such a pass-happy attack this year, before recent struggles, their WR1 could be expected to have higher production.
Smith-Schuster has not broken 100 yards receiving in a single game this season, and has below 30 yards in three games. The last time JuJu broke 70 receiving yards was Week 10, the Steelers' first matchup against the Bengals.
With Chase Claypool and Eric Ebron breaking out as pass-catching options in the Steelers attack, Smith-Schuster has become a secondary or at least 1B option for Ben Roethlisberger.