Watching the Steelers squeak past the Ravens last week to clinch the AFC North championship and a spot in the playoffs should have been a big moment for JuJu Smith-Schuster.
After all, the recently-turned-21-year-old has been a big part of the team's success in 2017, catching 37 passes for 585 yards and five touchdowns while providing the Steelers a spark with his youthful exuberance.
But Smith-Schuster was forced to watch the 39-38 win last Sunday night at home after being suspended for one game for a helmet-to-helmet block of Cincinnati's Vontaze Burfict the previous week.
So as the Steelers celebrated following fellow rookie T.J. Watt's sack of Joe Flacco that ended the game, Smith-Schuster could only watch as his teammates ran onto the field. Just like he could only watch as Ben Roethlisberger threw for 506 yards and two touchdowns in the game.
"Everyone was eating," said Smith-Schuster Wednesday, as he returned to the team from his suspension. "I was like, ‘Where’s my plate at?’ At home. It was awesome to see. Ben’s on fire right now. He’s hot. He throws 66 balls and for 500 yards. Everyone gets their touches. It makes it even tougher to watch the game. I mean, I want 100 yards, 50 yards. I’ll take that."
He'll certainly take that this week when the Steelers (11-2) host the New England Patriots (10-3) in a game that could determine the top seed in the AFC playoffs.
Smith-Schuster will be back for that game after serving his suspension, just as the Patriots will get tight end Rob Gronkowski back after he was penalized one game by the NFL for a post-play hit on Buffalo's Tre'Davious White as White lay face down on the ground.
Gronkowski leads the Patriots with 55 receptions for 849 yards and seven touchdowns. Without him last week, the Patriots lost, 27-20, at Miami.
In fact, Gronkowski being back on the field is one of the things the rookie is looking forward to this week.
"I’m so excited," Smith-Schuster said. "Me being young, I was always a fan of (Tom) Brady, Gronk, all those guys, (and) now having (the) chance to be back and play against them and playing with my guys."
But it was another suspension that was overturned last week that got Smith-Schuster's attention. Cincinnati safety George Iloka also drew a suspension in the game against the Steelers for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Antonio Brown. But while the appeals of Smith-Schuster and Gronkowski were denied, Iloka saw his suspension overturned.
"Wow. That’s crazy," Smith-Schuster said of his reaction to Iloka winning his appeal. "(I guess) in his situation, he was trying to save the game. That’s the NFL. It happens. I can’t control that. All I can control is what I can control and move forward."
Smith-Schuster doesn't plan on changing the way he plays the game. He still wants to be known as a ferocious blocker and a player willing to go over the middle to make tough catches.
In fact, just to stay in that mode, he wore his helmet as he watched the game against the Ravens at home on TV.
Let’s gooooooo boysssssss!!! Suspended But Still Strapped Up Ready To Go! ? RT for #FreeJuJu #TeamJuJu pic.twitter.com/SvrkPqakRY
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) December 11, 2017
"It was tough, being home, not being out there with my guys, my teammates," he said. "I kept the helmet on to stay locked in, focused on the game. Best to never to do that again."