The disappointing end to Super Bowl LIX doesn’t diminish the franchise’s many strides in 2024. Injuries at multiple positions forced the team to call on veteran players on short-term deals to help steady the ship.
Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was signed shortly before the start of the season to be a veteran presence and reliable target for Patrick Mahomes. He was a member of the 2022 Super Bowl-winning roster before leaving in 2023 for the New England Patriots. He stepped into a familiar stabilizing role for an injured Rashee Rice early in the season while rookie Xavier Worthy developed.
The Chiefs were also without Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown for most of the season due to injury and were weeks away from trading for DeAndre Hopkins before the deadline. Smith-Schuster’s best performance during the season was in Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints, recording seven catches for 130 yards.
The former USC Trojans star made more contributions during the postseason and Super Bowl, as he understands Sunday may have been his last game for Kansas City as he enters free agency in the offseason.
“Thank you, Chiefs Kingdom! Thank you to my teammates, coaches, and all the staff in KC,” posted Smith-Schuster on his ‘X’ profile. “Sorry we weren’t able to get the job done! Thank you, God, for this opportunity.”
Thank you Chiefs Kingdom ! Thank you to my teammates, coaches, and all the staff in KC. Sorry we weren’t able to get the job done! Thank you God for this opportunity.
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) February 10, 2025
The 28-year-old was a 2018 Pro Bowler while a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He finished the 2024 season with 18 catches for 231 yards and two touchdowns in fourteen games (eight starts).