Guess who's back? JuJu Smith-Schuster practices with Steelers 3 months after surgery

If JuJu Smith-Schuster’s return to practice Thursday for the Pittsburgh Steelers was unexpected to outsiders, imagine the reaction inside the locker room at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.

Three months after undergoing supposed season-ending surgery on his right shoulder, Smith-Schuster was designated to return from injured reserve, leaving open the possibility he could play Sunday in the team’s wild-card game at Kansas City.

Wide receiver Diontae Johnson did a double take when he saw Smith-Schuster put on his gear before practice.

“I had no clue about it,” Johnson said. “I was surprised to see him out there today, too. I saw him in the locker room, and I was like, ‘Yo, you getting ready or something?’ I’m happy that he’s back.”

So is coach Mike Tomlin, although he is making no guarantees Smith-Schuster will be activated from injured reserve in time to play against the Chiefs. The Steelers have 21 days to activate Smith-Schuster, a deadline that wouldn’t come into play unless the Steelers somehow reached the Super Bowl.

“I don’t know that,” Tomlin said when asked if Smith-Schuster could be activated before Sunday’s game. “What transpires out here and a lot of other questions are part of the equation.”

Tomlin isn’t sure whether Smith-Schuster will wear a brace or harness to protect his shoulder against a recurring injury.

“I didn’t even ask,” he said. “It’s just about getting him on the grass. It’s good having his energy out here. It was a good day.”

To Johnson, Smith-Schuster’s presence back on the practice field brought back pleasant memories.

“He looked smooth,” he said. “He still has great hands, he’s a natural catcher, has big hands, is a strong guy. Just being able to see him run around and show that he’s JuJu is exciting.”

Unlike Johnson, Tomlin said he was not surprised Smith-Schuster returned so quickly after his shoulder was injured in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos. He underwent surgery a few days later, was placed on injured reserve Oct. 16 and missed the final 12 games of the regular season.

“He’s worked hard in rehabilitation and gotten to this point, and we simply started the 21-day window,” Tomlin said. “We’ll look at him, see how he feels, check his level of conditioning like we normally do when people get in that window.”

After becoming a free agent in the offseason, Smith-Schuster signed a one-year, $8 million contract to return to the Steelers for a fifth season. At the time of his injury, he had 15 catches for 129 yards and no touchdowns.

Minus Smith-Schuster, the Steelers turned to Ray-Ray McCloud as the most-used option in the slot. McCloud finished the season with 38 catches for 267 yards and no touchdowns. His 7.0 average per catch was lower than Smith-Schuster’s 8.6, which matched his career-low average per catch in 2020.

“He brings back that positive energy that we need, and he’s always had,” Johnson said. “You want to be around a guy like that. He’s all about football, all about his teammates. There’s never a dull moment when he’s around.”

Johnson won’t expect it to be dull if Smith-Schuster finds a way to rejoin the Steelers offense in time for the playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium.

“If he gets a chance to play, I’ll be excited for him to see what he can do and make plays,” he said. “I’m sure everybody misses him doing his dancing out there. It was just good to see him out there moving around.”