The Pittsburgh Steelers might have been looking forward to enjoying a Week 8 return to the gridiron for Le’Veon Bell had JuJu Smith-Schuster come up with the numbers drawn for the $1.6 million Mega Millions jackpot on Tuesday night, October 23. Unfortunately, the dozens of tickets he purchased were as good as garbage, and so the wait continues for Bell’s fans and fantasy football owners.
During a post-practice interview with ESPN senior NFL writer Jeremy Fowler, JuJu revealed that he put up a considerable amount of cash for a chance at claiming the record prize. After doing some quick calculations, the second-year wide receiver estimated that he had bought about 120 tickets over the span of two days. Never before had JuJu played his hand at the lotto, he said, which prompted Fowler to dig a bit deeper to find out exactly what the 21-year-old’s motivation in finally testing his luck may have been.
“I tried to win it so we could get Le’Veon [Bell] back,” Fowler would share a tweet quoting JuJu as stating. “It didn’t work.”
JuJu wouldn’t allow the media to run with the quote without first confessing that he was only joking. He went on to tell Fowler that in all actuality, he’d likely only tell his mother if he ever did win, and would continue to play football in the NFL. His friends and teammates would just have to go on and wonder how he’d suddenly obtain the ability to upgrade his home and come to possess an assortment of new cars, is all.
JuJu willing to do anything at this point. pic.twitter.com/BLUYEogGfp
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 24, 2018
Man @LeVeonBell I did my best for you!!! No luck tho ?? https://t.co/yFmXylmFgm
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) October 24, 2018
On the other hand, for the millions who’ve clung to their television sets through the season’s midway point, and for the dozens of other men in the Steelers locker room who have been depending on a speedy return from Bell, his inactive status has been no laughing matter.
It may not be the most money in the world, but his $4,195,778 and $1,191,476 signing bonus ensure that JuJu is going to be alright. And if Bell could be so willing to blow $5,118,000 of his salary for refusing to sign his $14.5 million franchise tag and report thus far, he must be alright for the present time, as well. However, their Pittsburgh Steelers squad currently finds itself in a tight race for a division that has the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens trailing behind by a single game, and there has still been no official word on when their star running-back will show up.
Perhaps JuJu might want to double down on Wednesday night’s $620 million Powerball drawing. There is still time for Bell to come in and get a couple of practices in ahead of Sunday’s match-up against the Cleveland Browns if he gets what he wants.
