NFL rookie receiver Chase Claypool has already been given a nickname by his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates with a Canadian connection to it.
“We call him MapleTron, but he doesn’t like it,” 2018 Pro Bowler JuJu Smith-Schuster told Postmedia reporter J.J. Adams.
“He tried for Air Canada, but we were like ‘Nah, that’s Vince Carter’s (nickname).’ He’s tried to figure some out, but it’s MapleTron. It’s funny, it’s catchy, it’s lit, so he’s going to have to ride with it.”
Smith-Schuster was a second round pick, 62nd overall in the 2017 NFL draft. Claypool was chosen in the second round, 49th overall in the 2020 NFL draft. Pittsburgh’s No. 1 target has been helping the first-year pass catcher learn and adapt to being a pro in the fast-paced NFL.
“He’s a great player. He does a lot for our team. I’m just trying to teach him. With Chase, man, he’s very precise, very detailed with his work. Sometimes he’ll even question what I say. ‘Well, what if this happens? Or this happens?’ And I’m ‘Yo. Bro. Just chill. You good. Don’t overthink it,” Smith-Schuster said.
“A lot of times when rookies get in the fast lane, you really don’t get to embrace the whole process. Being a young guy, they just kind of ‘do do do, go go go.’ It’s something you’ve got to do, but at the same time, you have to just sit back, relax and see where you’re at.”
Claypool makes his NFL debut on Monday Night Football against the New York Giants in Week 1, which is quite the stage setup for the 22-year-old from Canada.
