JuJu Smith-Schuster facts for kids
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Smith-Schuster in 2023
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| No. 9 – Kansas City Chiefs | |||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | November 22, 1996 Long Beach, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Long Beach Polytechnic | ||||||
| College: | USC (2014–2016) | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2017 / Round: 2 / Pick: 62 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
John Sherman "JuJu" Smith-Schuster (born November 22, 1996) is an American professional football player. He is a wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans and was named an All-American in 2015.
The Pittsburgh Steelers chose him in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft. With the Chiefs, he helped his team win Super Bowl LVII. Smith-Schuster holds several NFL records, like being the youngest player to reach 2,500 career receiving yards. He is also known for his fun presence on social media, especially TikTok, which earned him the nickname "TikTok Boy."
Contents
Early Life and Football Beginnings
JuJu Smith-Schuster started playing football when he was eight years old. His aunt gave him the nickname "JuJu" when he was very young. Later, in college, he legally changed his last name to Smith-Schuster to honor his stepfather.
When he was a kid, famous rapper Snoop Dogg coached him in a youth football league. Snoop Dogg even gave him another nickname, "Sportscenter," because he believed JuJu's amazing plays would one day be shown on TV.
High School Football
Smith-Schuster went to Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, California. This school was known for sending many football players to the NFL. He played both wide receiver and safety for the school's team, the Jackrabbits. Experts thought he was one of the best high school wide receivers in the country. He chose to play college football at the University of Southern California (USC).
College Football Career
JuJu Smith-Schuster quickly became an important player for the USC Trojans. He played right away as a freshman in 2014. In his very first game, he caught four passes for 123 yards. He finished that season with 54 catches for 724 yards and five touchdowns.
Sophomore Season Success
In 2015, his second year, he had an even better season. He caught 89 passes for 1,454 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was one of the best college receivers in the nation that year.
Junior Year and Moving to the NFL
As a junior in 2016, he continued to play well, catching 10 touchdowns. He also helped USC win the 2017 Rose Bowl, a very important college football game. After this season, Smith-Schuster decided to leave college early to join the NFL draft. He later returned to USC to continue working on his college degree.
College Statistics
| Season | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Kickoff return | Defense | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | Solo | Ast | Cmb | ||
| 2014 | USC | 13 | 13 | 54 | 724 | 13.4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 0 | 11 | 132 | 12.0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 2015 | USC | 14 | 14 | 89 | 1,454 | 16.3 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 | 51 | 12.8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 | USC | 13 | 13 | 70 | 914 | 13.1 | 10 | 5 | 27 | 5.4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Career | 40 | 40 | 213 | 3,092 | 14.5 | 25 | 8 | 34 | 4.3 | 0 | 16 | 185 | 11.6 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 8 | |
Professional NFL Career
Joining the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers picked JuJu Smith-Schuster in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft. He was the youngest player chosen that year. He signed a four-year contract with the team.
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In his first NFL game, he was the youngest player in the league. In his second game, he caught his first touchdown pass. He became the youngest NFL player to score a touchdown since 1964. Later that season, he made history again by being the first player in NFL history to score three touchdowns before turning 21.
He had an amazing game against the Detroit Lions, catching seven passes for 193 yards and a 97-yard touchdown. This 97-yard play was the longest touchdown catch in Steelers history! He finished his rookie season with 917 yards and seven touchdowns, leading all rookies. He was also named the Polynesian Pro Football Player of the Year.
Becoming a Star Player
In 2018, Smith-Schuster became a starting wide receiver for the Steelers. He had a fantastic season, catching 111 passes for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns. His teammates voted him the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP). He was also chosen to play in his first Pro Bowl game.
Challenges and Comebacks
The 2019 season was tougher for JuJu. He became the Steelers' top wide receiver after another player left. He continued to make big plays, like a 76-yard touchdown catch. However, he also dealt with injuries and finished the season with fewer yards.
In 2020, he bounced back strong. He caught 97 passes for 831 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns. During this time, he became well-known for his TikTok videos, sometimes dancing on opponents' team logos before games. This caused some controversy, as other teams didn't always like it.
In 2021, he re-signed with the Steelers. He suffered a severe shoulder injury early in the season, which kept him out for most of the year. He returned for one playoff game against the Chiefs.
Winning a Super Bowl with the Chiefs
In 2022, JuJu Smith-Schuster signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. He quickly became an important part of their offense. He finished the season with 78 catches for 933 yards and three touchdowns.
He played a key role in the Chiefs' victory in Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles. In the final minutes of the game, with the score tied, he was involved in a play where an Eagles player committed a penalty against him. This penalty gave the Chiefs a first down, allowing them to run down the clock and kick the game-winning field goal.
Time with the Patriots and Return to Chiefs
In 2023, Smith-Schuster signed with the New England Patriots. He played 11 games for them, catching 29 passes for 260 yards and one touchdown.
In August 2024, he returned to the Kansas City Chiefs. He had a strong game against the New Orleans Saints in Week 5, catching seven passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. He finished the 2024 season with 18 receptions for 231 yards and two touchdowns. He also played in Super Bowl LIX with the Chiefs. In March 2025, he re-signed with the Chiefs for another year.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won the Super Bowl | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Returning | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2017 | PIT | 14 | 7 | 58 | 917 | 15.8 | 97 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 240 | 26.7 | 96 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | PIT | 16 | 13 | 111 | 1,426 | 12.8 | 97 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 13 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| 2019 | PIT | 12 | 12 | 42 | 552 | 13.1 | 76 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| 2020 | PIT | 16 | 14 | 97 | 831 | 8.6 | 31 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 |
| 2021 | PIT | 5 | 5 | 15 | 129 | 8.6 | 24 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 3.0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | KC | 16 | 14 | 78 | 933 | 12.0 | 53 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 |
| 2023 | NE | 11 | 7 | 29 | 260 | 9.0 | 37 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | KC | 14 | 8 | 18 | 231 | 12.8 | 50 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 104 | 80 | 448 | 5,279 | 11.8 | 97 | 32 | 4 | 22 | 5.5 | 13 | 1 | 9 | 240 | 26.7 | 96 | 1 | 8 | 5 | |
Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Returning | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2017 | PIT | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1.7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | PIT | 1 | 1 | 13 | 157 | 12.1 | 33 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | PIT | 1 | 1 | 5 | 26 | 5.2 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | KC | 3 | 2 | 10 | 89 | 8.9 | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | KC | 3 | 3 | 4 | 76 | 19.0 | 31 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 9 | 8 | 35 | 353 | 10.1 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
NFL Records and Achievements
JuJu Smith-Schuster holds several impressive NFL records:
- He was the first player in NFL history to score five touchdowns before his 21st birthday.
- He is the youngest player to gain at least 150 receiving yards in a single game.
- He is the youngest player to reach 1,500 career receiving yards.
- He holds the Steelers' record for the longest touchdown catch (97 yards).
- He is the youngest Steelers receiver to get over 1,000 receiving yards in a season.
Personal Life
JuJu Smith-Schuster grew up in Long Beach, California. He is of African-American and Samoan heritage. He is the second oldest of seven children and is a Christian. His nickname "JuJu" came from his aunt when he was a baby. He added his stepfather's last name, Schuster, to his own when he turned 18. He was a big fan of USC football growing up.
Digital Media Presence
Smith-Schuster is very active on social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, and Twitch. He often streams himself playing video games like Fortnite and Call of Duty: WWII. He has even played games online with famous people like Drake.
He has a YouTube channel where he shares videos of his gaming and daily life. He also owns his own esports team called Team Diverge.
See also
In Spanish: JuJu Smith-Schuster para niños
