JuJu Smith-Schuster Looks Back on 'Biggest Rookie Mistake' Ahead of Fifth NFL Season (Exclusive)

09/10/2021 11:46 am EDT

JuJu Smith-Schuster is gearing up for his fifth NFL season and has emerged as one of the top wide receivers in the league. But his path to success didn't come without his share of mistakes. PopCulture.com recently caught up with the Pittsburg Steelers wide receiver, who revealed his "biggest rookie mistake" before the Steelers kick off the 2021 season on Sunday. 

"I would say that would probably be leaving my parking ticket to get into the stadium, to park inside was my biggest rookie mistake," Smith-Schuster told PopCulture. "And I couldn't get in, even though I was on a list. I had to get this third security pretty much to come and get me in, but other than that, it's been really cool." 

Smith-Schuster is reflecting on his "biggest rookie mistake" to help launch a new campaign from Snickers. This week, Snickers started the Rookie Mistake of the Year program to reward fans during the NFL season who are examples of rookie mistakes they have made. And the end of the regular season, one fan will be named Snickers Rookie Mistake of the Year with the fan winning two tickets to Super Bowl 56 in Los Angeles where they have a chance to rush the field after the game. 

"I'm a big fan of Snickers," Smith-Schuster said when talking about the partnership. "It was kind of like a no-brainer. And pretty much, you're able to obviously give fans something to look forward to all season and to connect with them on a more personal level. And for them to win Super Bowl tickets, that's super exciting."

The fans who win Super Bowl tickets could see Smith-Schuster at the Super Bowl. The Steelers finished the 2020 season with a 12-4 record and have not had a losing season since 2003. It's been 10 years since the Steelers have played in a Super Bowl, but Smith-Schuster is confident they can get the job done in 2021. 

"Yeah, for us, the way we ended up last year, we fell short," Smith-Schuster said, who also talked about the Steelers' season opener against the Buffalo Bills. "I think it's good for us to open up the show people where we're at right now, to be honest. For myself, I just think that it's another season, just keep your head on your shoulders, just keep pushing through."

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