Andy Reid Tried Getting Patrick Mahomes a New Lethal Weapon by Using the Most Baller Recruiting Strategy Possible
Andy Reid has already seen the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense become one of the most lethal in the NFL. However, after surprisingly losing in the Super Bowl to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Chiefs may not be as good as we thought. This led to Reid attempting to recruit for his team so that his quarterback Patrick Mahomes could have a new weapon. He used the most baller recruiting strategy possible, too, as he ultimately tried stealing JuJu Smith-Schuster from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Patrick Mahomes already has dangerous weapons on the Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes has become one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL with the Chiefs. After winning the league MVP award in 2018 with 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns — and after winning the Super Bowl during the 2019 season — Mahomes had another great year in 2020. He threw for 4,740 yards, 38 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He also led the Chiefs to a second consecutive Super Bowl.
However, Mahomes wouldn’t have been able to have all the success he has had without the assortment of weapons that the Chiefs have on offense. Mahomes had two pass-catchers who gained over 1,200 receiving yards in 2020. Travis Kelce had 1,416 receiving yards on 105 catches to go with 11 touchdowns. Tyreek Hill, on the other hand, had 87 catches for 1,276 yards and 15 touchdowns. Mahomes also had Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the backfield, who ran for 803 yards in 13 games during his rookie year for KC.
Those guys apparently aren’t enough, though. Andy Reid wants more for Mahomes and the Chiefs.
Andy Reid tried recruiting JuJu Smith-Schuster to the Chiefs
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was a free agent this offseason. However, Smith-Schuster decided to stay with the Steelers by signing a one-year, $8 million contract, per Sports Illustrated.
Andy Reid and the Chiefs, though, also strongly went after him.
“Andy Reid was just calling me and he was sending me Lombardi Trophy pictures like constantly,” Smith-Schuster said on The Michael Irvin Podcast, per NFL.com. “We had a good talk, so it would’ve been KC after the Steelers.”
He continued: “Like texted it to me while I was trying to make a decision and I have so much respect for him and his team.”
One word perfectly describes Reid’s strategy: baller. It didn’t work out, but it was probably a difficult offer for Smith-Schuster to turn down.
So, how would JuJu Smith-Schuster have fit on the Chiefs?
JuJu Smith-Schuster could have become a top receiver with the Chiefs
It’s obviously difficult to share all the wealth in an offense like the one Chiefs have. There’s only one football to throw around. However, with the talent that Patrick Mahomes has, JuJu Smith-Schuster could have become a very valuable receiver for the Chiefs.
Smith-Schuster had two excellent seasons in his first two years in the NFL. He gained 917 yards in 14 games in his rookie season and then caught 111 passes for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018, which earned him Pro Bowl honors. However, after only gaining 552 yards in 12 games in 2019 — in a season where Ben Roethlisberger was hurt — Smith-Schuster caught 97 passes for 831 yards and nine touchdowns in 2020.
While Mahomes, Reid, and the Chiefs wouldn’t have been able to give Smith-Schuster an opportunity to catch 97 passes, he would have had more opportunities to make bigger plays. Kansas City had five receivers who had over 400 receiving yards, and each of them gained over 10 yards per catch. Smith-Schuster only gained 8.6 yards per catch in 2020, which was most likely a product of the Steelers’ offense being led by an aging quarterback. During his first two seasons in the NFL, Smith-Schuster gained 15.8 and 12.8 yards per catch.
While the Chiefs would have helped Smith-Schuster, he would have also helped Kansas City. Smith-Schuster would have easily become the Chiefs’ No. 2 receiver and the third option behind Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. He would have made that offense even more dangerous than it already is currently.
Andy Reid may have failed in getting Patrick Mahomes a new receiver, but at least he knows that his offense is already stacked.
Stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference
