It looks like JuJu Smith-Schuster got his groove back in the two months since he was cut by the New England Patriots.
Smith-Schuster went off as Patrick Mahomes’ top target during the Kansas City Chiefs’ win on Monday Night Football, catching 7 passes for 130 yards.
That’s equal to half of Smith-Schuster’s entire Patriots career. During his time as New England’s highest-paid receiver, he caught 29 passes for 160 yards over the course of 11 games in 2023.
But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Smith-Schuster. He nearly had a touchdown in the fourth quarter. However, the ball was knocked from his hands and into the waiting hands of defensive lineman Khalen Sanders, who returned it 36 yards.
Back with Mahomes in Kansas City, Smith-Schuster looks a lot like the receiver who convinced the Patriots he was worth a 3-year, $25.5 million free-agent contract.
After five years years with the Steelers, Smith-Schuster revitalized his career with the Chiefs in 2022. On a one-year deal, he had a renaissance season playing alongside Mahomes during the team’s Super Bowl run. That season, he caught 78 passes for 933 yards and 3 touchdowns.
He then landed in New England, where a lingering knee injury and a stagnant offense was a recipe for disaster.
Smith-Schuster generated some optimism early in training camp that he could bounce back. However, he got lost in the shuffle at receiver before the team cut him in early August.
After an injury to receiver Hollywood Brown, the Chiefs bought back Smith-Schuster in hopes of rekindling his career.
“I think that when the opportunity presents itself, I wanted to step up. I love the adversity. I love being down, I love the doubts. I’ve always bet on myself,” he said, via ESPN. “I came here on a one year deal betting on myself (in 2022) and it worked out for me. So coming back here was kind of like a no-brainer.”
Smith-Schuster had limited production through his first four games back in Kansas City. But after receiver Rashee Rice went down with injury, Smith-Schuster saw a bigger role Monday night — and wound up being the team’s top receiver in the win over the New Orleans Saints.
