John Sherman “JuJu” Smith-Schuster, born November 22, 1996, is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). In the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him while he was a college football player at USC.
Smith is the holder of several NFL records, including being the youngest player to reach 2,500 career receiving yards and the first player to have two offensive touchdowns of at least 97 yards. He also holds several Steelers franchise records.
Furthermore, this footballer has also earned the nickname TikTok Boy.
The college and professional career of Smith
Smith-Schuster started playing football when he was eight years old. In 2012, he legally changed his last name from “Smith” to “Smith-Schuster” while in college as a memorial to his stepfather.
He also changed his name from “John” to “JuJu,” a nickname his aunt gave him when he was younger.
Smith received an invitation to the NFL Combine and performed nearly all of the combine drills and positional drills. During the 2022 season, Smith-Schuster won Super Bowl LVII during his only season with the Kansas City Chiefs.
About Smith-Schuster’s pro potential based on his college career, fellow USC alum Lynn Swann remarked, “He has the size”, he is physically strong, and he has the attitude.
What happened to Juju Smith Schuster?
JuJu Smith-Schuster, a wide receiver for the New England Patriots, is under investigation regarding the long-term health of his surgically repaired knee.
The American footballer and the emerging star discussed the severity of his knee injury on Thursday after dealing with it during the offseason.
The footballer did not participate in the early off-season activities, but he attended training camp and did not miss a day. But Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer alleged on NBC Sports Boston that the 26-year-old’s knee was a “mess” and “could explode at any point.” That seemed to be news to the Pro Bowl wideout.
When did Juju suffer from the knee surgery?
Smith-Schuster told Karen Guregian of MassLive, “I do not think my knee is a ticking time bomb.” It seems to be growing stronger every day.
During the Kansas City Chiefs’ AFC championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Smith-Schuster sustained a knee injury. In the third quarter, he departed and did not come back.
Prior to the Super Bowl, he had little practice. Nevertheless, he participated and helped Kansas City defeat the Philadelphia Eagles.
Smith-Schuster made an effort to downplay the seriousness of his injury, but his note regarding his trip to Japan caught our attention.
Smith stated, “I needed some time from the clean-up surgery and traveling to Japan after the Super Bowl.” “After a six-hour flight, there was some swelling, but it is better now. It is really nice. Since the beginning of training camp, I have not missed a practice.”
That sounded concerning as if his injury to his knee was far more serious than he claimed. However, Smith-Schuster claimed the original report was someone “trying to find a story.”
DeVante Parker has missed practice, Tyquan Thornton was placed on injured reserve, and the Patriots reportedly signed two wide receivers—all of which could mean absolutely nothing.
In addition, New England needs Smith-Schuster to remain healthy for the duration of the season in order to meet its objectives, considering the offseason investment it made in him.
For which team will Juju play in 2023?
The New England Patriots signed JuJu Smith-Schuster, an unrestricted free agent from Kansas City, on March 17, 2023.
A professional American football team, the New England Patriots, is situated in the Greater Boston region. The Patriots are a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) East division in the National Football League (NFL).
