JuJu Smith-Schuster Stole James Washington’s TD, but He Made It Up to Him

On Sunday night, James Washington continued what has been an impressive preseason for the second-year wideout with a 41-yard touchdown grab courtesy of his former college teammate Mason Rudolph.

But it appears he had someone else to thank for that play.

The Steelers’ No. 1 receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster talked about the situation that ended in him stealing one of Washington’s touchdowns and how he, in turn, let the Biletnikoff winner take his spot on the series that he ended in Washington’s own score.

“It was so crazy. We were doing no-huddle and I got tired so I went out for a couple plays,” said Smith-Schuster according to Steelers.com. “Then we got the first [down] and then I go back in and James Washington, that was his play. That was his post. So I go in, I take his place. I take his touchdown, basically. And then a couple plays later, he scores his post. I’m supposed to start that series but I said ‘Like no, bro. You take it.’ and he ends up getting a post.”

Washington got just two targets during Pittsburgh’s third exhibition game but turned it into that one deep ball score. He has been one of the more buzzworthy wideouts heading in the NFL this preseason.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin says Washington’s continuing improvement is what they expected for their former second-round pick, and all second-year players.

“We talk about all second-year players taking a significant step.” said Tomlin. “He’s done that. But he’s just representative of the group. … We expect big things from those guys who have been a lap around the track and understand the culture and the environment, and that experience should show, and it is.”

Tomlin was less forthcoming about the battle that rages between Mason Rudolph and Josh Dobbs for QB2.

“We’ll comb through it great detail tomorrow,” Tomlin said when asked how he evaluates Rudolph’s 75-yard performance.

Both Rudolph and Dobbs took snaps after Ben Roethlisberger started his first preseason game, and both were productive. Rudolph went 6-of-9 for 75 yards with one TD and one interception and Dobbs was 4-of-9 for 79 yards and threw a pick in the red zone.

The Steelers will cap their preseason slate at 6 p.m. Central Time on Thursday when they had to Charlotte, North Carolina to take on the Panthers.