More major news for the Pittsburgh Steelers. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster is reportedly signing a one-year deal with the team, per this tweet from NFL Network’s Taylor Bisciotti.
JuJu Smith-Schuster is returning to Pittsburgh on a 1 year deal, taking a massive paycut to return to his home over larger offers from divisional rivals and Super Bowl contenders to accommodate Pittsburgh’s tough cap situation. JuJu is staying home.
— Taylor Bisciotti (@TaylorBisciotti) March 19, 2021
She says Smith-Schuster turned down offers from divisional rivals to stay with Pittsburgh.
Smith-Schuster confirmed the news with this Wolf of Wall Street inspired tweet.
This is my home, they’re gonna need a wrecking ball to take me outta here! PITTSBURGH I LOVE YOU, LET’S GO!!!!! 💛🖤💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/SPFvCLUmFl
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) March 19, 2021
Can’t say it enough, I love you Pittsburgh. Came in here a young 20 year old and you guys embraced me from the moment I got here. So much love. Had my back thru everything, all the struggles and success. So hard to leave. See you this Fall in Heinz WE’RE GOIN CRAZY!!!
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) March 19, 2021
Financial terms of the deal weren’t immediately released. We’ll update you when those numbers come in. It’s unclear if this deal will have any voidable years attached to it but it would make sense in order to keep his cap charge down even assuming Smith-Schuster took less money.
Biscotti tweets Smith-Schuster had offers from the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens. Smith-Schuster’s deal with Pittsburgh is one-year, $8 million.
Sources tell me these were the other offers
KC 8 mill with 3 mill incentives
Steelers 8 mill
Baltimore 9 mill 4 incentives— Taylor Bisciotti (@TaylorBisciotti) March 19, 2021
Adam Schefter also reports the Philadelphia Eagles made a push to sign him.
JuJu Smith-Schuster also turned down more money on a multi-year deal from the Eagles than he took to return to the Steelers, per source. The Eagles’ were a secret suitor. But Smith-Schuster loved Pittsburgh and its fans too much to leave. https://t.co/X8gitZYxwd
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 19, 2021
Mike Garafolo reports the Steelers increased their offer from $7.5 million to $8 million. That was enough to seal the deal.
The #Steelers added $500k to their final offer to JuJu Smith-Schuster to push it over the finish line, source says. Went from $7.5 million to $8 million and it got done.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 19, 2021
Smith-Schuster will be a free agent for the 2022 season. It’s clear he’s using this year to bet on himself and the salary cap shooting back up next spring. He’ll get to play with Ben Roethlisberger one more season and reassess his situation.
UPDATE (4:19 PM):Â Smith-Schuster’s deal includes four voidable years, decreasing his 2021 cap hit.
JuJu Smith-Schuster’s contract has a $7M signing bonus, $1M base salary and four void years.
Pittsburgh pushes more money into future years to squeeze him in under the cap.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 19, 2021
