Rod Woodson: Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster may not be No. 1 receiver, Mason Rudolph not top backup

Steelers legend Rod Woodson made some headlines lately talking about his former team on Twitter.

On Saturday, Woodson tweeted about Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, “All he wants to do is be on social media!”

Seriously you can get no I draft pick from Juju, all he wants to do is be on social media!

— Rod Woodson (@RodWoodson26) September 5, 2020

He had some strong views about the Steelers backup quarterback situation as well, celebrating Josh Dobbs’ return.

I’m glad to see Josh is back in the BURGH now we have a backup QB but should have kept the Duck over Mason! @steelers @nfl @ESPNNFL

— Rod Woodson (@RodWoodson26) September 6, 2020

Woodson also inferred that Josh Rosen could’ve been Ben Roethlisberger’s successor. Not Mason Rudolph or Devlin “Duck” Hodges.

Rosen has moved onto Tampa Bay since those comments. So, thankfully, Woodson won’t have to be proven wrong there. Because he would’ve been if Rosen had come to Pittsburgh.

Trust me on that one.

But the Hall of Fame defensive back reiterated some of those other opinions Tuesday on 105.9 The X.

“Mason just seemed as if he was more robotic,” Woodson told TribLive columnist Mark Madden. “Duck had that thing you try to find in players on the field. You would hope that Duck learning from Ben being on the sideline, getting his skills to a certain degree … I just thought that Mason had his opportunity.

“Maybe they think that in a couple years with some grooming that (Rudolph) can be that guy. I just think that, in my eyes, watching from afar last year that he is not going to be the guy in the future.”

I’ll disagree with Woodson on that one, too. I’m not sure if Rudolph can be a reliable backup moving forward, either. But — with seasoning — I think he has a better chance of becoming so than Hodges ever will.

Later, Woodson danced around some of his social media criticism of Smith-Schuster. But he did question the receiver’s ability to be a true No. 1 target on a pro roster.

“(Quarterback) Ben (Roethlisberger) is going to help him,” Woodson said of Smith-Schuster. “All the receivers struggled from the quarterback position. He’ll have more catchable balls. His numbers will be better. I just don’t know if he is a No.1 receiver in the National Football League.”

Woodson did express concerns about the Steelers running backs and the rest of the receivers, too. But he sounded more optimistic about the Steelers overall — highlighting the positive impact from the returns of Roethlisberger and Stephon Tuitt.

Woodson also called Minkah Fitzpatrick the best safety in the NFL and endorsed the contract extension of Cameron Heyward.

Back to Smith-Schuster and his constant presence on social media, Madden asked Woodson what would’ve happened if Twitter was around when Woodson was starring in Pittsburgh during the ‘80s and ‘90s.

“I would’ve gotten fired,” Woodson said. “I would’ve gotten cut.”