First Call: JuJu Smith-Schuster's eye-catching quote about Steelers; Diontae Johnson says 2022 a 'rebuilding year'

We have some very revealing quotes about the Pittsburgh Steelers from JuJu Smith-Schuster, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Diontae Johnson.

Plus, a former Pitt Panthers football coach has been fired.

All that in Monday’s “First Call.”

So what are you trying to say, JuJu?

Melissa Stark of NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” had a provocative quote from former Steeler JuJu Smith-Schuster during his team’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

During a cut-in with Stark, she reported that the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver told her it is “awesome to have an offensive-minded head coach in Andy Reid. He has learned more in these last few months in Kansas City than he did in all five years in Pittsburgh.

“He said Reid makes you see the whole field. He answers the ‘why.’ He gets you to understand how to read defenses. And he says one of the coolest things Reid does is that before every game, he says ‘Let your ‘personality out.’ He said there is nothing better that a coach could say.”

Well, this is one helluva quote from JuJu….. pic.twitter.com/Nc4sxuCwex

— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) October 3, 2022

Oh, OK, JuJu. Was your personality restricted in Pittsburgh? Did Mike Tomlin somehow handcuff your personality amid all your TikToks, endorsements, milkcrate challenges and dances on opponents’ logos?

Aside from that, though, the rest of what Smith-Schuster said is interesting and somewhat damning of his offensive development in Pittsburgh.

‘Rebuilding year’???

The Steelers never like to say they are rebuilding.

Even if they are.

At least most of the Steelers don’t and certainly not publicly. But Diontae Johnson sure did.

After Sunday’s 24-20 loss to the New York Jets, Johnson said, “Obviously it’s a rebuilding year. Not going to use that as an excuse. It doesn’t matter who is at quarterback, or who is in at any position. It’s our job to get it done and win games. That’s what we’ve got to do, is win.”

Diontae Johnson: “Obviously it’s a rebuilding year. Not going to use that as an excuse…” #Steelers @937theFan pic.twitter.com/GVWFImqx0Z

— Josh Rowntree (@JRown32) October 2, 2022

Rebuilding teams don’t win divisions, go to the playoffs or stay above .500. And that’s what everyone uses as the measure of success for the Steelers these days. But for those of us who have managed to see this team without the aid of Black and Gold colored glasses, we’ve been able to see that they have been trying to rebuild on the fly.

Meaning without admitting that as a mission statement. Without posturing that a tear down is coming by trading off veterans to acquire picks. Without saying the word “rebuild” aloud.

But once the players start using those words to the media, does it matter if the coach, GM or ownership acknowledge it?

More Steelers news

• Airing of Grievances: Defensive demise, ill-timed interceptions undermine Kenny Pickett's Steelers debut in loss to Jets
• Mitch Trubisky ‘disappointed,’ did not expect to be benched as Steelers QB
• Kenny Pickett replaces Mitch Trubisky, but Jets rally past Steelers on late TD

Minkah’s remarks

Mikah Fitzpatrick had some pretty colorful things to say about the Steelers loss as well. Ones that I’m sure will get attention in New York from the Jets.

“It’s very frustrating. It’s frustrating losing to people that you know that you’re better than, more talented than. Especially when you have the team that we have. We’re a great team with a lot of talent. A lot of great young players. I think we are way better than what we’ve been putting on display,” Fitzpatrick said.

Well, perhaps not more talented than the Jets’ young, talented players based on the final score. And how about this other pearl from Fitzpatrick regarding how Jets quarterback Zach Wilson was adjusting to the Steelers schemes at the end of the game?

“They adapted to our game plan,” the safety said. “They started throwing passes outside the numbers, away from the robber — which is what I was playing. But (Wilson) gets paid too. He’s an NFL quarterback. He’s going to make great throws. When they adapt, we’ve got to adapt.”

That’s the second time in recent weeks that Steelers defenders have said that opposing offenses have made crucial late adjustments to what the Steelers are doing on defense. Linebackers Malik Reed and Alex Highsmith made similar comments about how Mac Jones was checking into advantageous run plays at the line of scrimmage as the New England Patriots were grinding out the clock against the Steelers two weeks ago.

Badgered out of town

Former Pitt coach Paul Chryst has been fired by his alma mater.

Wisconsin relieved Chryst of his duties after the team started 2-3. Another ex-Badger, defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, will serve as interim coach.

Chryst was born in Madison. In seven-plus seasons at Wisconsin, he went 67-26, winning 10 games or more in four of his first five seasons. Chryst got the Badgers to the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl via three Big Ten West Division titles.

But recent years have been a struggle. The program went 4-3 in 2020 before a slow start to the 2021 season, in which the Badgers finished 9-4. This year, they’ve lost all three Power 5 games they played, including a 34-10 defeat to Illinois at home last weekend. That’s after falling to Washington State (17-14) in Madison and 52-21 at Ohio State.

Chryst was the offensive coordinator in Madison before taking over the Pitt program from 2012-14. He was 19-19 those three seasons with the Panthers prior to his return to the Badgers.