JuJu Smith-Schuster Reveals Reason He Joined Patriots
After winning Super Bowl LVII with the Kansas City Chiefs, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster inked a three-year, $33 million contract with the New England Patriots.
When the free agency period began in mid-March, Smith-Schuster had left a lasting impression on the Chiefs, who were eager to retain him. However, to the surprise of many, the 26-year-old chose to depart from his previous team to sign with the Patriots
When Smith-Schuster was asked why he came to New England instead of staying in Kansas City, he said, "Honestly? Bill, man."
Evidently, the prospect of playing for Bill Belichick was compelling enough for Smith-Schuster to turn down the Chiefs, despite being offered a contract that guaranteed him $16 million.
Belichick and Smith-Schutser became familiar with each other during the 2017 season when the wide receiver was playing his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. During a Week 15 contest between the Patriots and Steelers, Smith-Schuster was impressive with six receptions for 114 yards, despite Pittsburgh losing 27-24.
The following season Smith-Schuster had a breakout year as he caught 111 passes for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named to the 2018 Pro Bowl.
During his final three seasons with the Steelers, Smith-Schuster struggled to remain available to play and missed 16 total games. As a result, he became a free agent following the 2021 season when the Steelers decided not to retain him.
However, Smith-Schuster chose to take a chance on himself and signed a one-year contract with the Chiefs in hopes of proving his worth. He played in all but one game of the 2022 season and helped the team secure a Super Bowl victory.
Smith-Schuster is now joining the Patriots with the hope of leading them to the playoffs after failing to make it to the postseason in two out of the last three years.
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