Steelers' JuJu Smith-Schuster on Titans' COVID-19 outbreak
Yahoo Sports' Terez Paylor chats with Steelers' JuJu Smith-Schuster about the Titans' COVID-19 outbreak, postponing Pittsburgh's contest vs. Tennessee. It's the first game postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the National Football League this season.
Video Transcript
TEREZ PAYLOR: We're here, speaking to Pittsburgh Steelers star receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who's speaking on behalf of Oikos. And JuJu, I'll get to that in a little bit, I'mma ask you a little bit about that later. But first, I want to ask you, because this is something everyone's talking about, and you're kind of, like, a little bit in the middle of what is going on around the league regarding the Titans COVID situation.
So I just want to know your reaction, man. What was your initial thought when you heard that the game was going to be postponed?
JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER: Yeah, man, so, like, for us, as, you know, we coming in-- we're coming in Monday, we're practicing. Tuesday's the off day, you know, we're coming in Wednesday. You know, like, we practicing, and the next thing you know, coach tells us, you know, we ourself on social media the news, and we're like, OK, cool, like, you know, they canceled until Saturday.
And it's like, oh, we're going to play Sunday, you know, we still have a chance. And usually, what they do is that they'll test them again, and if they are still positive, then they do further notice of information, and obviously, they push it back to Tuesday. And we're like, OK, so I think it was Thursday morning, our coach was like, yo, we're playing them Tuesday, so prepare. So we're preparing for game week, obviously.
And we end up practicing, and by the time practice is over, our game's canceled. So now it's like, all right, this is our bye week, we're playing in week seven. And it's kind of tough because, you know, having our bye week, you know, like, most majority of NFL teams, they want it to be, like, middle of the season, so they can, like, rest up, you know, get right for the next eight games.
Not us, our bye week is week four now, and we have about 10 plus games left, and it's just like, ah, like, why so early. So it is what it is, you know, I can't complain. Our coach says, you know, whatever time, you know, wherever we are at, you know, it's game day, we got to play, we got to rock.
TEREZ PAYLOR: Have you been in the building? Like, what has it been like this week? Because this is kind of your bye. But you've also been doing preparation, so it's not like a classic bye week in that sense where it let you get away.
JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER: Yeah, and that's tough, you know. I think, for us, it's more so the players, we're kind of like, OK, if we're not, like, really gonna practice this week, let's just not practice at all because we don't know what's going to happen. But at the end of the day, we have to prepare for them just in case.
And, you know, in our bye week, you know, we only get three days off, so it's tough. And then it's like, you would think we get the whole week. So we still got a COVID test every morning til noon. If you miss your COVID test, fun fact, you get fined $50,000.
TEREZ PAYLOR: Can't have that.
JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER: Yeah, can't have that. So you definitely want to be at your COVID test. So at the facility, I haven't been inside. People go to get tested, some players go to get tested, they go home, some go and get some treatment and some work in. But like I said, it doesn't feel like a bye week. So, for us, it's more self-preparation for the Eagles.
I think it's a possibility that, you know, we can have fans that week, so it'd be cool to see that people who are gonna be there.
TEREZ PAYLOR: But not for the reason you actually are joining me, man. Tell me a little bit about the Oikos Greek yogurt TikTok challenge and your role in it, man. What's going on there?
JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER: Man, the Oikos yogurt TikTok challenge, man, is about to go viral. Pretty much, you know, I don't know if you know, as a kid, you know, I was growing up, momma's like, yo, get the groceries out of the car. It's, like, 10 bags, 15 bags, you know, you on a video game, you don't want to go multiple trips. So you got to go back, so I'm carrying all the bags in that one time.
So the Oikos one trip challenge basically just shows, you know, the human strength. Pretty much just taking one trip, flexing, showing your dances, man. Just sign up, man, a chance to win 15,000, groceries, and all that stuff, man. So for myself, man, I just love TikTok. Oikos brought this to me, and I was like, man, why not, man? You know, I could relate to it, you know, on a more personal level. So it was really cool.
TEREZ PAYLOR: Thank you for joining us, man. Wish you the best, stay safe out there, man.
JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER: Thank you, man. Take care, appreciate you.
