Pittsburgh Maulers release statement on decision to cut De'Veon Smith

The USFL’s Pittsburgh Maulers are speaking out after members of the team’s coaching staff and administration were caught on camera cutting a player for what appeared to be choosing to eat pizza over chicken salad on a team dinner night.

As caught on video, former Michigan running back De’Veon Smith was recently cut from the Maulers – a team in the newly-formed United States Football League – for making the decision to eat pizza instead of the team’s meal of chicken salad.

Despite all of the speculation surrounding the matter, the Maulers are standing their ground – saying that Smith was disrespectful to a cafeteria worker, and that’s what led to his release.

“On the first episode of ‘United by Football,’ the weekly USFL all-access docuseries on FOX, De’Veon Smith was shown on camera being cut from our team by Coach Kirby Wilson,” the statement reads. “The show captures hundreds of hours of film with the intent of providing transparency to fans, but unfortunately, much of the context was left out in this moment.

“Smith had violated three team rules in a 24-hour span, and in this particular incident, disrespected a cafeteria worker, which wasn’t captured on camera. Smith has subsequently reached out to Coach Wilson to apologize, and asked to be reinstated to the Maulers’ roster.”

Pittsburgh Maulers statement on De’Veon Smith being cut from the the team on ‘United by Football’. pic.twitter.com/OHmj2vuQTo

— Pittsburgh Maulers (@USFLMaulers) April 18, 2022

As shown in the video, Smith is seen walking into a room with three other guys, including Maulers head coach Kirby Wilson, and taking a seat. In a brief conversation, Wilson explains to Smith that he is being cut for not following team rules. Smith then responds by making it clear that he didn’t say anything disrespectful, but he was ultimately cut by the Maulers that same day.

Smith, 27, rushed for 2,235 yards and 22 touchdowns over four seasons at Michigan from 2013-2016.