No Steelers rookie may ever recapture the excitement, joy and fan delirium that swarmed around Franco Harris in 1972.
Yet JuJu Smith-Schuster is trying.
There have been a handful of Steelers rookies who were regarded as rare performers with personalities that infected fans and teammates, starting with Harris. Add Louis Lipps in 1984 with his electrifying receiving, punt returns, 11 touchdowns and the “Loooooo” chant at Three Rivers Stadium. Kordell Stewart captivated teammates and fans with his Slash role at receiver and quarterback, his No. 10 jersey becoming a top seller as he aided the Steelers’ Super Bowl run as a rookie in 1995.