Kansas City Chiefs OC Matt Nagy praises veteran wide receiver for his leadership
"Not to take anything away from any receivers that we've been with here or anywhere else, for me, this, this collective group of wide receivers from top to bottom, is very, extremely competitive, talented, and they're competing. They're pushing each other. I'll bring up a guy that right now isn't, I don't want to take for granted, as JuJu Smith-Schuster," said Nagy, "unbelievable right now, with what he's doing, as far as a leader in that room, watching guys out here walk throughs, he's taking these young guys and using his experience and given his knowledge to them, and it's exciting because he's a great player. So from top down, we have a lot of speed. The guys have knowledge. They're smart, they play fast, they're tough. Now it's just the timing with Pat (Patrick Mahomes), and we're excited to take this aggressive mentality every day in practice and then take it into the season because we're ready and locked in."
Smith-Schuster was a 2018 Pro Bowler while a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He finished the 2024 season with 18 catches for 231 yards and two touchdowns in fourteen games (eight starts).
He showed leadership last season in the locker room and on the field. Smith-Schuster's best performance during the season was in Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints, recording seven catches for 130 yards.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
38 minutes ago
- USA Today
Tyrann Mathieu's New Orleans Saints jersey won't be reassigned just yet
The New Orleans Saints saw a local legend walk away when safety Tyrann Mathieu surprisingly retired earlier in July. Although they quickly signed another player at that position, they are not going to give his jersey number away immediately. It's notable given Derek Carr's No. 4 jersey was reassigned to cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry shortly after the quarterback's retirement. Mathieu sported No. 32 throughout his entire NFL career, including his three-year stint back home in New Orleans. Former Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon also wore No. 32 for the first five years of his pro career, but is currently using No. 28 with the Saints. The expectation is not that Mathieu will get his jersey retired or anything; it is just a nice gesture for a local legend. He played for just three seasons in black and gold, but his impact on New Orleans will always be far greater. He is from the city and serves as a great example of someone who made it all the way to the top. Mathieu may have an outside chance at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, however, which may be the best chance he gets honored by the Saints. He had 838 career tackles, 36 interceptions, three Pro Bowls, four All-Pro first team nods, a second team nod and won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs. He is also one of the current generation's most famous football players, dating back to his college days, which won't hurt "the Honey Badger's" case. No matter the full reason that he did not get his jersey number taken immediately. Even if it did, it will be hard for fans not to associate that number with him for a long time to come.
Newsweek
39 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Stephen A. Smith Jabs at Cowboys WR George Pickens For Super Bowl Remarks
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. This offseason, the Dallas Cowboys made a notable upgrade to their offense in the form of wide receiver George Pickens. As he begins this new chapter of his career, Stephen A. Smith clapped back at some choice remarks he made about the iconic franchise. Dallas went out and acquired Pickens following a rocky tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers. His past off-field issues don't seem to be a concern, as the Cowboys think he can be a massive upgrade to the roster. The veteran wideout also seems eager to put what happened behind him in an effort to change his perception around the league. Through his early days with the franchise, their partnership seems to be going well. Countless members of the team have praised his abilities and attitude, and he is happy with his change of scenery. While talking about being in Dallas now, he raved about the franchise's ties to the Super Bowl amid all their success in the 1990s. George Pickens #14 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on December 01, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. George Pickens #14 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on December 01, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Photo by/Getty Images Also read: Stephen A. Smith Blasts Cowboys Exec For Micah Parsons Remarks "I've been watching the Cowboys for years. I've always wanted to see them back in the Super Bowl. That's why they're so legendary, for that reason," Pickens said. "The Cowboys, like I said, are known for the Super Bowl. If they weren't known for that then no one would care about the Cowboys. They're known for that and then the camaraderie of the people give that same energy, because they also want to see it again." Stephen A., who is known for speaking out against the Cowboys, was one of many to react to Pickens' remarks. He sounded off on the star wideout, citing that his previous team has had far more success than Dallas. "Here's the deal," Smith said. "George Pickens do you have any idea when you talk about Super Bowl and the Cowboys you do understand that the Steelers are a more successful franchise. Did you know that? Do you understand what the he** you're saying...I'm sorry I got to call him out on that." "You do understand that the Steelers are a more successful franchise?" —@stephenasmith on George Pickens saying the Cowboys are synonymous with Super Bowls 😭 — First Take (@FirstTake) July 29, 2025 Also read: Former Cowboys Pro-Bowler Gives Heartfelt Response to New Contract The Steelers have one more Super Bowl victory than the Cowboys do, and have climbed the NFL mountaintop far more recently. Nonetheless, Pickens seems locked in with his new franchise. Flanked by high-level talents such as Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, Pickens is eager to help the Cowboys return to prominence in the NFL. For more Dallas Cowboys and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Madden NFL 26 player ratings for Steelers rookie DT Derrick Harmon released
On Wednesday, EA Sports released the player ratings for the top rookies for the upcoming Madden 26. There will be plenty of debate and disagreement about the ratings from fans but when it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers, fans should be pretty happy. EA Sports put out the player rating for Steelers defensive tackle Derrick Harmon and in going over the numbers, there's really nothing we can argue about. Here is how the numbers break down for Harmon, per the Madden 26 player ratings site. Full ratings were not available at the time of publishing. Defensive tackle - Derrick Harmon Overall - 77 Speed - 74 Strength - 93 Agility - 76 COD - 66 Injury - 94 Awareness - 77 Early access for Madden 26 starts on August 7 when you pre-order. Early access lasts seven days with the official release set for August 14. We expect EA Sports to continue to drip out player ratings between now that the early release date.
