Conflicting report emerges on JuJu Smith-Schuster's contract with Chiefs

JuJu Smith-Schuster’s contract with the Kansas City Chiefs is apparently worth a lot less than initially reported. After both ESPN and NFL Network reported the former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver would make $10.75 million, Pro Football Talk released a different number.

Smith-Schuster will instead make a base salary of $3.25 million, with $2.49 million being guaranteed. Of that guaranteed number, $1.455 million comes from a signing bonus. He also has a roster bonus of $30,000 per game, or up to $510,000.

Apparently, the $10.75 million number came from adding $7.5 million worth of incentives onto the base salary. Although JuJu Smith-Schuster could certainly earn up to that number, it is not guaranteed according to his contract.

Set to enter his sixth NFL season in 2022, Smith-Schuster has established himself as a reliable receiving threat. He burst onto the scene during his second year in 2018, leading the Steelers with 111 receptions and 1,426 yards receiving. The receiver earned a Pro Bowl appearance that season alongside Pittsburgh teammate Antonio Brown.

Smith-Schuster saw his production decline in the following seasons, as the Steelers receiving room grew more crowded with the additions of Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool. He suffered a shoulder injury in Week 5 of this past season that caused him to miss the remainder of the year. The year before in 2020, Smith-Scuhster finished with 97 receptions, 831 yards receiving and a career-high nine touchdowns.

After making the move, the receiver revealed the exact reason he chose to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs over other suitors: Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs quarterback finished this past season fourth in the NFL with 4,839 passing yards in addition to 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

“I am going to play with a future Hall of Fame quarterback, to play with one of the best to ever do it,” Smith-Schuster said, via NFL Network’s Taylor Bisciotti. “My goal as a player is to win, so I’m going to Kansas City with the hopes of winning a Super Bowl.”

Smith-Schuster is set to join six-time Pro Bowl receiver Tyreek Hill in Kansas City, as well as tight end Travis Kelce. That trio will give Mahomes plenty of options to throw to next season as the Chiefs aim to make it back to the Super Bowl for the third time in the past four seasons. The quarterback was equally excited to have Smith-Schuster on his team, tweeting his thoughts shortly after the news broke.