Are you surprised Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster participated in the viral crate challenge?
A fan-captured video shows the 24-year-old completing the risky challenge, where participants walk across a pyramid of crates and try to make it to the other side without falling, one week before the regular season. Pittsburgh’s opening game against the Bills is on Sunday, Sept. 12.
The internet challenge has been deemed “dangerous” after videos of failed attempts show people crashing to the ground and suffering injuries.
Although Smith-Schuster appeared to complete the challenge unscathed, some football fans criticized the NFL star for risking injury so close to the start of the season.
“One week before the season… un f–king believable,” one person that shared the clip tweeted.
“Juju wobbling doing the milk crate challenge. Steelers look focused,” another tweeted.
At one point during the video, Smith-Schuster can be heard saying, “This isn’t bad,” before he jogged down the crate pyramid.
While some critics pounced on Smith-Schuster for partaking in the viral challenge, others defended him and celebrated his social media presence. The Steelers receiver often makes headlines for his viral TikTok videos dancing on opposing teams’ logos, along with his prominent presence in the gaming world.
JuJu Smith-Schuster during the Steelers’ preseason game against the Eagles. Getty Images“People forget that Juju is an in-shape professional athlete,” one fan tweeted. “His core is absurdly strong and his body control is top notch. That’s why I’m okay with him doing the milk crate challenge… It’s all good.”
Another added, “JuJu is getting hate for completing the milk crate challenge lmao just say nice balance and let him live.”
Just last week, TikTok released a statement in response to backlash about the crate challenge’s potentially dangerous side-effects.
