Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
There were initial reports that the wideout already had the procedure, but it was later corrected. Smith-Schuster had his shoulder reduced after dislocation, at which point he was examined and the decision to undergo surgery was made, Rapoport adds.
Smith-Schuster injured his shoulder in the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos and appeared to be in serious pain as trainers helped him off the field.
The receiver bypassed offers from other clubs this past offseason to return to the Steelers on a one-year contract. However, he hasn't been able to produce consistently in 2021.
Smith-Schuster's 129 receiving yards rank fourth on the team. He failed to record a catch during the Week 5 bout against Denver and hasn't registered a 100-yard game this season.
The 24-year-old has frequently been Pittsburgh's go-to target in the slot. He led the team with 97 receptions last season while also putting up 831 receiving yards. His nine receiving touchdowns were also tied for the team lead.
Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson could see their targets increase with JuJu sidelined. The former leads the team with 341 receiving yards while Johnson has 305. James Washington will likely be promoted into a higher role within the offense due to Smith-Schuster's injury.
Pittsburgh drafted the USC product in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He's accumulated 3,855 career receiving yards, including a personal-best 1,426-yard campaign in 2018.
