Even though my blog is about teammates and teamwork, I don’t usually include content about specific sports teams or current sporting events. I try to steer clear of that type of content because I don’t want the value of Teammate Tuesdays compromised by what could be perceived as me being partial to one team or another.
But I’m going to break protocol this week and discuss an incident that happened during Sunday’s Dallas Cowboys versus Pittsburgh Steelers game at AT&T Stadium because the incident so perfectly illustrates an important good teammate trait.
With the Steelers trailing the Cowboys late in the second half, Steelers’ wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster caught a 31-yard touchdown pass to get his team back into the game. The play changed the game’s momentum.
Smith-Schuster is known for his creative end zone celebrations. They send his 2.3 million TikTok followers (including both of my daughters) into a frenzy. But instead of launching into a spirited dance or mimed antics after this touchdown, Smith-Schuster uncharacteristically got up and began carrying the ball back toward the line of scrimmage, void of any apparent fanfare.
When asked about the lack of celebration in a post-game interview, Smith-Schuster revealed that he had intended to take the ball to the center of the field and dance on the Dallas Cowboys’ logo—an act the host team considers to be taboo and blatantly disrespectful.
In September 2000, the Forty Niners’ Terrell Owens famously celebrated on the Cowboys’ midfield logo after scoring a touchdown. He was pummeled by Dallas defender George Teague shortly thereafter. The confrontation resulted in ejections and suspensions on both teams.
As Smith-Schuster jogged in the direction of midfield on Sunday, the Cowboys’ Antwaun Woods stalked him, anticipating that the Steeler’s receiver may attempt to replicate Owens’ notorious celebration. Woods appeared ready to pounce should that be the situation. That’s when Smith-Schuster’s teammate, James Conner, intervened.
Smith-Schuster told reporters after the game that Conner came over and reminded him that it was still a close game and that celebrating on the logo would not be a good idea.
Good teammate move by James Conner!
Good teammates keep us from making mistakes that we will later regret. They intervene before we act irresponsibly, or irrationally, or irreversibly. They prevent problem by saving us from ourselves.
Had JuJu Smith-Schuster carried through with his plan, what ensued would have most certainly resulted in—if you’ll pardon the pun—bad juju for JuJu, and his team. Dallas would have felt disrespected and retaliated. Pittsburgh would have then felt obligated to come to their player’s aid.
Smith-Schuster’s celebration could have led to penalties that cost his team the game. Or worse, it could have gotten someone seriously—and unnecessarily—injured.
While Conner’s intervention is notable, it’s only half of the good teammate lesson to be learned from this incident. The other half, ironically, comes from Smith-Schuster. When a trusted teammate recommends foregoing potentially doomful action, good teammates have the humility to trust the recommendation.
Smith-Schuster chose to trust James Conner. He set his ego aside, listened to what Conner had to say, and acquiesced. His trust and humility are commendable good teammate traits that often go unrecognized. But they too are worthy of acknowledgement.
As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.
