Patriots’ JuJu Smith-Schuster Shares Odd Detail About Knee Injury

JuJu Smith-Schuster dealt with a knee injury this offseason, but the New England Patriots receiver cleared the air on the severity of it Thursday.

Smith-Schuster missed early offseason activities, but he was at training camp and didn’t miss a day. But Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer alleged on NBC Sports Boston the 26-year-old’s knee was a “mess” and “could explode at any point.” That seemed to be news to the Pro Bowl wideout.

“I don’t think my knee is a ticking time bomb,” Smith-Schuster told MassLive’s Karen Guregian. “If anything, it’s something that’s getting stronger every day.”

Smith-Schuster suffered a knee injury during the Kansas City Chiefs’ AFC championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He left in the third quarter and did not return. He was limited in practice heading into the Super Bowl but played and helped Kansas City beat the Philadelphia Eagles.

While Smith-Schuster tried to clear the air on the severity of his injury, his note about his trip to Japan was eye-catching.

“From the clean up surgery, and traveling to Japan after the Super Bowl, I needed some time,” Smith-Schuster said. “There was some swelling after a six-hour flight, but it’s good now. It feels great. I haven’t missed practice since (training camp started).”

That sounded alarming and hinted that his knee injury might have been a lot more serious than he made it sound. However, Smith-Schuster claimed the original report was someone “trying to find a story.”

It very well might be nothing, but Tyquan Thornton was placed on injured reserve, DeVante Parker has missed practice and the Patriots reportedly signed two wide receivers. Also, given the investment New England made in Smith-Schuster this offseason, it will need him to stay healthy throughout the season to accomplish its goals.