Teammate Zach Banner Backs Up JuJu Smith-Schuster's “The Browns is the Browns” Comment

Former USC teammate and current Steelers OT Zach Banner came to Smith-Schuster's defense via social media.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are slated to take on the Cleveland Browns, Sunday in the NFL Playoffs. Despite the Browns dealing with several COVID-19 cases, the game remains on track. 

Each week leading up to Sundays' game, players and coaches speak with the media about the matchup ahead. Following a presser this week with the Steelers organization, former USC wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster received some criticism over his comments, when asked about playing Cleveland on Sunday.

"I think they’re still the same Browns teams I play every year," said Smith-Schuster via Tom Withers of the Associated Press. 

“I think they’re nameless gray faces. They have a couple good players on their team, but at the end of the day, I don’t know. The Browns is the Browns." (Schuster)

Per Sports Illustrated AllBengals, "Smith-Schuster has been involved in his fair share of controversy over the past few weeks. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin asked him to stop dancing on opponents' logos last month after a three-game losing streak, which included a 27-17 loss to the Bengals." 

Amid the controversy, former USC teammate and current Steelers OT Zach Banner came to Smith-Schuster's defense via social media to clear the air. 

Banner wrote, "Y’all know dam well Juju didn’t mean it like that... Sports Media is a joke..."

Y’all know dam well Juju didn’t mean it like that...

Sports Media is a joke...

— Zach Banner (@ZBNFL) January 8, 2021

Smith-Schuster has helped lead the Steelers to a 12-4 overall record this year and an AFC North title. The Steelers take on the Browns Sunday, January 10th, at 5:15 p.m.

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