The truth hurts. JuJu Smith-Schuster revealed this week that Andy Reid texted him pictures of the Lombardi Trophy in an effort to recruit him to the Chiefs.
In other words, the Chiefs are a Super Bowl contender, and the Steelers aren't even close. Show me the lie.
"Andy Reid was just calling me and he was sending me Lombardi Trophy pictures, like constantly," Smith-Schuster said on "The Michael Irvin Podcast" with a laugh. "We had a good talk, so it would have been KC after the Steelers.
"Like, he texted [Lombardi Trophy pictures] to me while I was trying to make a decision, and you know I have so much respect for him and his team, so yeah."
It's hard to throw around your weight more than that (pun definitely intended). With back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, and three straight AFC Championship appearances, the Chiefs are now the preeminent franchise in the NFL. With Patrick Mahomes just entering his prime, they'll likely be Super Bowl contenders for years to come.
The Steelers, meanwhile, have only seen their roster become more depleted. They've waved goodbye to key members of their offensive line and defense, including but not limited to: Bud Dupree, Mike Hilton, Steven Nelson, Vince Williams, Alejandro Villanueva and Maurkice Pouncey.
Oh, and they need a running back as well. Under the best circumstances, the Pittsburgh will be fielding a worse team next season with a 39-year-old Ben Roethlisberger.
So why did Smith-Schuster choose the Steelers? It's important to parse out the spin from reality. "Being home with the Steelers is the best," he said. "It's ideal just for me, you know. I think what really people didn't get to see a lot is later in my career, because I dealt with injuries, I played mainly slot. And coming back and playing outside more this year and showing people that can be a No. 1 and having Ben back healthy and me being healthy and just having the team that we have."
It's worth noting that Smith-Schuster failed to attract much attention this offseason, since he returned to the Steelers on a one-year, $8 million deal. While the free agent market was obviously depressed, receivers still got paid. Kenny Golladay, for example, signed a four-year deal with the Giants worth $72 million.
Still, Smith-Schuster re-signing with the Steelers is a vote of confidence, especially if he did truly turn down the Chiefs. He's betting that Heinz Field will be the best place for him to rebuild his value.
But it's not the best place for him to win a Super Bowl, and that should be apparent to everyone.
Reid texted the quiet part.
