Mark Madden's Hot Take: JuJu Smith-Schuster shows life changes fast in NFL

JuJu Smith-Schuster very quickly went from litty to … well, not very good.

It’s not a cautionary tale. Just a reminder of how quickly and decisively life in the NFL can turn.

At 27, Smith-Schuster is no longer the Pizza Hut guy, or the stolen bike guy, or the high school prom guy, or the TikTok guy. He isn’t dancing on opposition logos these days. He’s no longer cutesy, or even relevant.

Smith-Schuster just got cut by New England. He’s got knee issues. His career has imploded.

Smith-Schuster might be the practice squad guy. (Then again, what if the Steelers don’t get Brandon Aiyuk?)

Smith-Schuster was dedicated to building his brand during his Steelers tenure from 2017-21, perhaps more so than to football. But now he’s got no brand. Football was always 100% the cornerstone, and now that’s hanging by a thread.

Could he have been more focused, more dedicated to football? Who knows? It probably wouldn’t have made a difference, anyway.

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Smith-Schuster turned out to be an average wideout, initially a good sidekick to Antonio Brown in Pittsburgh but never a No. 1 receiver.

Did Smith-Schuster succeed? By real world standards, absolutely.

Smith-Schuster has made $38 million so far. He won a Super Bowl ring with Kansas City. He made a Pro Bowl.

If it feels like he underachieved, maybe his potential was overestimated in the first place.

But when his performance declined, so did his visibility. That smile wasn’t quite so bright. Whether it’s delivery or DiGiorno, Smith-Schuster has to pay for pizza these days.