JuJu Smith-Schuster agrees to 1-year contract with Chiefs, leaves Steelers after 5 seasons

Kansas City, here JuJu Smith-Schuster comes.

The 25-year-old wide receiver and fan favorite since his arrival in 2017 ended his five-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers when he agreed to a contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Smith-Schuster is getting a one-year, $10.75 million deal from the Chiefs, who courted him last year in free agency.

Smith-Schuster posted a farewell to Steelers fans on his social media accounts.

“Thank you for taking me in and making me a part of the family from the moment I was drafted,” Smith-Schuster wrote. “You all took me in so quickly and I really needed it. I was a wide-eyed 20-year-old who was sent to the east coast away from my family for the first time in my life, and you made me feel right at home, despite all of the loneliness I should have felt. These have been the best five years in my life. I owe so much to the fans who embraced me and who made playing on Sundays in Pittsburgh so special. It was an honor to wear the black and gold for you all! I love you!”

Smith-Schuster ventured into free agency for the second time in his career. Last year, he returned to the Steelers on a one-year, $8 million contract when he couldn’t find a better deal in a depressed market caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Because the contract included voidable years, the Steelers are on the hook for $5.6 million in dead money against their salary cap this season.

Smith-Schuster was unable to set himself up for a big free agency contract because he was limited to five games by a shoulder injury. The injury was feared to be season-ending, but Smith-Schuster returned in time to start in the Steelers’ wild-card playoff loss at Kansas City, his new home.

He had 15 receptions for 129 yards prior to his injury. In the playoff loss, he caught five passes for 26 yards.

The Steelers took Smith-Schuster, an underclassman from USC in the second round of the 2017 draft. He endeared himself to fans with his physical play and presence on social media. He backed it up on the field in his early seasons. He was named the team’s rookie of the year, edging first-round pick T.J. Watt, by catching 58 passes for 917 and seven touchdowns.

Smith-Schuster’s best season was in 2018 when he was named to the Pro Bowl after amassing 111 receptions for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns.

Smith-Schuster, though, never matched that level of production after the Steelers traded star receiver Antonio Brown, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger missed much of the 2019 season with an elbow injury. Smith-Schuster’s numbers dipped to 42 catches, 552 yards and three scores that year. He rebounded to catch 97 passes in 2020 but totaled only 831 yards, averaging a career-low 8.6 yards per catch.

Smith-Schuster becomes the second free agent in as many days to leave the Steelers. Ray-Ray McCloud agreed to a two-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night. Another wide receiver, James Washington, remains a free agent.

Diontae Johnson, entering his fourth season, and Chase Claypool, heading into the third, are the Steelers’ most experienced receivers.