A day after Steelers coach Mike Tomlin promised a "conversation" with JuJu Smith-Schuster about his TikTok dances, Pittsburgh's wide receiver gave an update on his pregame ritual.
“For the betterment of myself and my teammates, I'm going to stop dancing on the logos," Smith-Schuster told media Wednesday. "... I don't want to be a distraction to anybody."
Smith-Schuster had made a habit in recent weeks of dancing on his opponent's logo and posting the video to his TikTok account and its 2.7 million followers. The first dance posted on TikTok was in Week 14 at Buffalo ahead of a Steelers loss, and Smith-Schuster danced some more before losing to the Bengals in Week 15.
@juju Steelers MNF ##fyp video credit : @chase
♬ Adderall (Corvette Corvette) - Popp Hunna
The dancing hasn't gone unnoticed in either week, as both the Bills and Bengals remarked about it after their respective wins. Cincinnati safety Vonn Bell said before playing Pittsburgh that he thought the dances were "disrespectful," and then Bell popped Smith-Schuster to force a fumble Monday night.
“I seen 19,” Bell told reporters. “I’m not a boastful guy, man. I just go out there and let my play do the talking. It just happened that it comes to that. I’m just playing football, man. Just going out there and trying to make a play.”
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Smith-Schuster's dancing has come during a three-game losing streak for Pittsburgh which started at home in Week 13 against Washington before going on the road for two more losses. After a breakout 2018 season, Smith-Schuster hasn't been the same player in 2019 or 2020, and he hasn't had more than 55 receiving yards in a game in any of Pittsburgh's last five contests.
There likely wouldn't have been an insult behind Smith-Schuster's dance if it happened in Week 16 because the Steelers are back home at Heinz Field to face the Colts. Depending on that result, the AFC North division title could be on the line in Week 17 in Cleveland. Don't expect Smith-Schuster to dance on the logo pregame, though. His TikTok clout will have to be created elsewhere.