When you make your mark as a Pittsburgh Steeler, it often has its perks. JuJu Smith-Schuster is no exception to that. In a recent interview, Smith-Schuster talked to Cameron Heyward on the Not Just Football podcast about his most iconic moment as a member of the team.
During a 2017 Monday Night game, the Steelers played against their AFC North rival, the Cincinnati Bengals. A tight, physical game throughout, the highlight came when Smith-Schuster laid a massive blindside block on Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict, causing him to be carted off the field. The hit and subsequent celebration over Burfict led to a whirlwind, with some calling it a dirty play, which eventually resulted in a one-game suspension.
Steelers fans and players didn’t share that same love lost for Burfict. He was known for several dirty hits, leading to suspensions and players missing time, most notably Antonio Brown, whom he concussed in the 2016 AFC Wildcard game.
“Legendary moment in my career, to this day people still talk about it,” said Smith-Schuster. “That’s just me sticking up for my teammate and playing aggressive football.”
While the blowback from the suspension and penalty flags was obviously not welcome, the support from Steelers fans afterward certainly was.
“That whole week, free food at everywhere I went,” said Smith-Schuster. “McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Primanti Brothers’, restaurants were just giving out free food, free drinks.”
It’s a good thing, too, because after the hit, Smith-Schuster was also fined, having to forfeit his entire game check against the Bengals. Despite Brown and Le’Veon Bell telling him on the sidelines that it would be no problem and they would pay it, it sounds like that may have gotten lost in translation.
“A.B., Le’Veon, they like, ‘Don’t worry about it! You good, we gonna pay that fine… I got fined for a game check. Them boys did not help me pay that fine,” Smith-Schuster said with a laugh.
Luckily, after nine years in the NFL, I’d say he made that money back and then some.
All in all, Smith-Schuster remembers the moment as a “legendary” one, and one where he felt his presence really began to grow during his time in Pittsburgh.
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