JuJu Smith-Schuster turned down offers from several teams before he re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Kansas City Chiefs were one of those teams, and it sounds like Andy Reid really wanted the star wide receiver.
Smith-Schuster revealed on the “Michael Irvin Podcast” this week that he would have signed with the Chiefs if he chose to leave Pittsburgh. Part of the reason for that was the enthusiasm with which Reid recruited him. One of the methods Reid used was to repeatedly send Smith-Schuster photos of the Lombardi Trophy.
“I think, just seeing K.C. and bro, Andy Reid was just calling me and he was sending me Lombardi Trophy pictures like constantly,” Smith-Schuster said, via NFL.com’s Nick Shook. “We had a good talk, so it would’ve been K.C. after the Steelers.
“Like texted it to me while I was trying to make a decision and I have so much respect for him and his team.”
The Baltimore Ravens were another team that pursued Smith-Schuster, but he said he didn’t feel comfortable signing with a rival and was concerned about what his role would be in their offense.
Smith-Schuster feels like he has unfinished business with the Steelers. He turned down these better offers from other teams to remain in Pittsburgh, so he obviously enjoys playing there. The fact that he resisted Reid’s trophy photos and the allure of playing with Patrick Mahomes says a lot.
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