Former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith has never been one to shy away from confrontation, and his latest battle is with Denver Broncos wide out Jerry Jeudy.
Smith had previously called out Jeudy for being a “JAG,” an NFL slang term for “just a guy,” or an average player. Smith reached out to Jeudy to apologize before the Broncos’ Thursday night matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, but Smith says that Jeudy blew him off, saying “I don’t (expletive) with you.”
Well, Smith, who is now an analyst for the NFL Network, responded in kind during the broadcast on Thursday.
“I’m sorry I said you were a ‘JAG,’ just a guy, who is an average wide receiver they used a first-round pick on that isn’t doing anything,” Smith said (via Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports). “I hope today you actually show up in a way you haven’t shown up in the last couple years since they drafted you.”
Jeudy went on to log just three catches for 14 yards in the Week 6 loss.
“So if you ever got a problem with Agent 89, I’m sorry for saying you’re an average wide receiver that they will eventually move on [from],” added Smith. “And when teams call me and ask if they should trade for you, I would say no, don’t trade for Jerry Jeudy. Because he’s mentally unable to handle constructive criticism from people who watch specifically, can he be a wide receiver? He can be a wide receiver. He’s a tier three.”
Jeudy has been the subject of trade rumors, as Denver is just 1-5 and may very well sell off some pieces ahead of the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline.
The 24-year-old has totaled 20 catches for 222 yards this season.
Since being taken with the 15th overall pick by the Broncos back in 2020, Jerry Jeudy has failed to live up to expectations and is yet to post a 1,000-yard campaign.
His most productive year to date came last season, when he hauled in 67 receptions for 972 yards and six scores.
Meanwhile, Smith enjoyed a very successful NFL career between the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens from 2001 through 2016, making five Pro Bowls and earning a pair of First-Team All-Pro selections.
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