5 Steelers that had the most disappointing 2020 seasons

JuJu Smith-Schuster

Out of everyone on this list, this one is definitely the most relative. While JuJu Smith-Schuster did lead the Steelers in receptions, he seemingly made the least out of his opportunities. Despite catching 97 passes, he failed to record over 850 yards through the air. For a player that is likely going to be commending top money this offseason, his mediocre season was certainly a disappointment considering he was already coming off a rough year in 2019.

There was real hope for a rebound, and while Smith-Schuster did post better stats, it wasn’t anything close to the year that he had earlier in his career. His 8.6 yards per reception was on par with a good receiving running back, and it was hard to sit through some of his four reception, 20-yard games. While he did score nine times, his overall success as a receiver was well below what most fans thought he would be at.

This wasn’t entirely Smith-Schuster’s fault, as the Steelers had their receivers run extremely short routes for most of the year. In fact, most of the yards he did get after the catch were tough and physical ones, which is a testament to his ability to be a physical threat as a receiver. As well, Smith-Schuster is always willing to block for others as well as being a good team player. He isn’t a player you should want to lose but given the tough financial situation and how poorly the Steelers used him in 2020 and it seems likely he leaves. While he had a rebound year, it still fell well short of the expectations that fans had going into the season.

While the Steelers were one of the better teams in 2020, there were still quite a few players that fell short of expectations. Their disappointment was due to a variety of reasons, but by the end of the season, each of the above needed to do a little more. For those that are still on the team in 2021, hopefully, they can find a way to rebound.