David DeCastro Recalls Steelers Locker Room Reaction To JuJu Smith-Schuster's Massive Hit On Vontaze Burfict

The intensity of Pittsburgh Steelers games against AFC North foes is always off the charts. During the Week 13 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2017 season, rookie wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster delivered a jaw-dropping hit on Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict. The hit was especially shocking, considering Burfict was known as one of the dirtiest and most feared players in the game.

For a rookie wide receiver to deliver such punishment on a national stage was nothing short of remarkable. It also served as revenge for the vicious hit Burfict had laid on Steelers star wide receiver Antonio Brown the year before. Brown, running across the middle, had been headhunted by Burfict, knocking him out of the game. Many Steelers and football fans still believe that hit was the turning point in Brown’s career, leading to serious brain injuries.

Smith-Schuster’s jarring hit on a notorious dirty player like Burfict felt like sweet revenge for the Steelers and their fans. While no one wants to see a player get hit hard, sometimes fans feel that karma is served—and that moment was exactly that. Now, years later, David DeCastro, who was right beside Smith-Schuster during the hit, shares his side of the story. Speaking on 93.7 The Fan on Friday, DeCastro reflected on that unforgettable moment.

"It bumps you up for sure," DeCastro said. "That was a crazy hit. I was right there for it, too; it was like, what just happened? The energy in those games were always high; you came in stressed out, knowing it was gonna be a battle."

Hearing DeCastro’s point of view on that controversial moment almost a decade later adds an interesting layer of perspective to the story. At the time, the hit by Smith-Schuster was one of the most talked-about plays of the season, igniting fierce debates across the NFL. 

Some saw it as a brilliant display of toughness and retribution, while others criticized it as another example of football’s violent nature. Now, nearly a decade later, DeCastro's reflection on the play provides a more balanced, behind-the-scenes look at the emotions and dynamics of the Steelers locker room during that pivotal moment.

From DeCastro’s viewpoint, the hit was more than just a physical play—it was a manifestation of the intense rivalry between the Steelers and Bengals, but also a moment of justice for a team that had seen its star player, Brown, suffer from Burfict's reckless behavior. 

DeCastro’s recollection reminds us that moments like these are not just about one player's actions; they’re about the collective experience of the team and the sense of unity that emerges in response to adversity. His insight into the locker room’s reaction adds depth to the narrative, giving fans a fuller understanding of why that hit resonated so deeply, not only with Smith-Schuster but with the entire Steelers organization.

Steelers' JuJu Smith-Schuster Always Had Antonio Brown's Back

The irony of that hit is that while Brown often criticized Smith-Schuster, the rookie had always admired him. As a young wide receiver, Smith-Schuster even reached out to Brown for advice while in college. 

The hit on Burfict was likely fueled by the disrespect Burfict showed Brown the season before. In that moment, Smith-Schuster showed he had Brown’s back, something Steelers fans found bittersweet given how Brown later spoke about and treated Smith-Schuster after he went to bat for him. Steeler Nation would have loved to see Brown and Smith-Schuster have a better relationship and dominate the league for longer.

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