Welp, JuJu Votes "That's A Negative" To Him Returning To Pittsburgh
Alright, well, see ya never I guess.
Free agency officially opens in less than a week and it seems like we're getting more and more of our own official word from the man himself that JuJu will in fact NOT be returning to Pittsburgh now that his rookie deal is up.
That's fine. No hard feelings. Dude is a star and wants to get paid what the Steelers ultimately just can't afford no matter how badly they'd like to bring him back. It's what we always hear this time of the year or any time contract negotiations are involved: "at the end of the day, it's a business." We're seeing teams absolutely drop vets like flies this week to clear cap space so it works the same way on the other side for guys like JuJu.
The Steelers will honestly probably win in this scenario anyways. JuJu will get his money, rightfully so, elsewhere then the Steelers will snag a guy like Amari Rodgers from Clemson in the second or third round to fill the slot role next to Claypool and Diontae Johnson and walllah you hardly miss a beat while also saving a shit ton of money.
Even with that being said I do think it's a bummer this is how JuJu's time in Pittsburgh has to come to an end. He sprung on the scene so brightly as a rookie in 2017 then continued to blossom in 2018. Was a fan favorite before all the nonsense with AB and the dancing on logos started. I really thought after his rookie year that the Steelers had their next Hines Ward kind of player that's never going to be a top 5 receiver in the league, but his star power and play for the Steelers would trump that.
Best of luck in New York or Miami, JuJu.