ENGLEWOOD, Colo — This squawk between Steve Smith Sr. and Jerry Jeudy should not be about who was the more accomplished receiver.
If so, Smith could have his right hand raised as the victor.
This is more about man to man – dare we say former player media vs. active player? – and to that Jeudy seems to have good reason why he took offense to how Smith handled their verbal spat.
“I’m just going to go ahead and clear the air and this is my last time talking about it,’’ Jeudy, a top Broncos’ receiver, said to reporters Thursday at his locker. “Basically, had he came to apologize to me, I would have understand that. And I would have listened to what he had to say.
“Where I’m from, if somebody talked bad about you, you don’t go to them in person and try to act friendly toward them.”
This feud began prior to the Broncos’ game Thursday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. Smith, on the Arrowhead Stadium sidelines providing pregame commentary for the NFL Network, was asked by estimable reporter Mike Garafolo about the exchange Smith just had with Jeudy. Apparently, the exchange didn’t go well.
Smith explained on his podcast he had criticized Jeudy as a J.A.G. – Just A Guy.
“When I saw him, he’s playing well,’’ Smith said on air to Garafolo. “I wanted to say to him face to face, like, ‘Hey, I know I said some things in the past. I probably shouldn’t have. And I’m sorry. That’s what I wanted to say to him.’’
Let the record show, Smith never did apologize to Jeudy. Although apparently the reason was Jeudy didn’t give him a chance.
“His response was Ninja,’’ Smith said. “I’m using the word, ‘Ninja,’’ – I don’t mess with you. And it was a curse word. And so I was like, ‘All right.’ (Looking at the camera now for dramatic effect). And so I’m sorry I said you were a J.A.G. Just A Guy. Who’s an average wide receiver they used a first-round pick on that isn’t doing anything.
“I hope today you show up in a way that you haven’t showed up in the last couple years since they drafted you. So if you ever have a problem with Agent 89 (Smith’s old number), I’m sorry for saying that you’re an average wide receiver that they will eventually move on from. And when teams call me and ask, ‘Should they trade for you?’ I will say, ‘No. Don’t trade for Jerry Jeudy. Because he’s mentally unable to handle constructive criticism from people who watch specifically, can you be a wide receiver.’ He can be a wide receiver – he’s a tier 3. Go back into the studio, I’m done now.”
Say again who can’t handle criticism? With all due respect to Smith – one of the league’s most underrated receivers who had more 1,000 catches for more than 14,700 yards and 81 touchdowns in his 16-year career -- wasn’t he a bit petty? He said Jeudy was playing well, then when Jeudy wouldn’t let him apologize, the Bronco receiver suddenly became tier 3?
“One thing I do agree on is I feel like I should have listened to what he had to say,’’ Jeudy said. “But at the same time, I’m going back to my roots and where I’m from. When somebody talks bad about you behind your back, don’t expect for them to come to them in person and think everything is going to be OK. If I would have known he would have come to apologize, it would have been a whole different story or reaction.”
Jeudy was terrific in the final six games last season, accumulating 37 catches for 523 yards and three touchdowns to earn a guaranteed, fifth-year option of $12.987 million for the 2024 season. He is making $2.68 million this year and the season is not going well. The Broncos are 1-5 and Jeudy has but 20 catches for 222 yards and no touchdowns.
“It’s always frustrating to lose,’’ Jeudy said. “Losing is the worst possible thing that can happen.
“As a receiver there’s a lot you have to depend on. You could be open but the line doesn’t do their thing, or the quarterback didn’t do the job, the OC (offensive coordinator) doesn’t put you in, there’s a whole lot of stuff we have to go through as a receiver to be successful.
“At the end of the day I’ve got to do what I do. People can say, ‘Oh, look at his stats, look at this, look at that.’ But the eye in the sky don’t lie.’’
Asked to clarify what truth the eye in the sky (film) reveals, Jeudy said: “Go watch the film instead of looking at the stats.”
To be clear, Jeudy appeared to be speaking generally about all the factors related to a receiver’s success, not anyone specifically.
Jeudy’s name has once again come up as a possible trade candidate. The trading deadline is less than two weeks away.
He’s used to hearing his name come in trade speculation.
“Yeah, about two years,’’ he said. “It doesn’t affect me at all. Because at the end of the day I’m still going to be the player that I am. I know what I can do and I know what I’m capable of. So trade me or not trade me, it doesn’t matter because at the end of the day I’m going to still be me.’’
As for his spat with Smith, Jeudy hopes the story has been put to rest.
“I have no hate towards Steve Smith,’’ Jeudy said. “He was a good player and stuff like that. I just stand on where I stand on … You feel some type of way, keep the same way when you see me in person. I don’t have anything against him or anything that’s just how I feel.
“If I would have knew you were going to apologize of course I would have reacted different but at the same time, I know somebody talked bad about me, I told him what it is and moved on from there. He went and took it to the media stuff and made it bigger than what it needed to be.’’
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