JuJu Smith-Schuster re-signed with the Steelers, and that keeps together one of the league’s most unusual trifectas of wide receivers. He, Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool all had over 800 yards last year, but none of them made it to 1,000.
That’s never happened before with a trio of wide receivers. They’re all good, but here’s a balance between them. Well, last year, anyway – the Steelers are re-working their offense, so things no doubt will be different in the upcoming season.
Smith-Schuster last year also pull off another unusual statistical quirk. He became the first wide receiver to finish 3rd on his team in receiving yards (among wide receivers) despite catching more than 80 passes. He caught 97.
Previously only 10 players have caught 70-80 passes in a season and finished with the 3rd-highest receiving total (in yards) on their team. Ernest Givins was the first to do this, back with the run-and-shoot Oilers, and he’s still the only one to do it twice.
Three other wide receivers who have been 3rd-leading wide receivers on their own teams with 70-plus catches are active, and they all switched teams in the offseason, with Curtis Samuel and Adam Humphries both signing with Washington, and Willie Snead signing with Las Vegas.
| 3RD-LEADING WIDE RECEIVERS WITH 70-PLUS CATCHES | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2020 | JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 97 | 831 | 8.6 | 9 |
| 1989 | Ricky Sanders, Was. | 80 | 1,138 | 14.2 | 4 |
| 1995 | Terance Mathis, Atl. | 78 | 1,039 | 13.3 | 9 |
| 2020 | • Curtis Samuel, Car. | 77 | 851 | 11.1 | 3 |
| 2008 | Steve Breaston, Ariz. | 77 | 1,006 | 13.1 | 3 |
| 2018 | • Adam Humphries, T.B. | 76 | 816 | 10.7 | 5 |
| 1993 | Mike Pritchard, Atl. | 74 | 736 | 10.0 | 7 |
| 2013 | Wes Welker, Den. | 73 | 778 | 10.7 | 10 |
| 2016 | • Willie Snead, N.O. | 72 | 895 | 12.4 | 4 |
| 1990 | Ernest Givins, Hou. | 72 | 979 | 13.6 | 9 |
| 1991 | Ernest Givins, Hou. | 70 | 996 | 14.2 | 5 |
—Ian Allan