KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Shortly after his first 100-yard game in two years, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster posted a simple message to his X account for anyone who thought maybe he had started the inevitable career slide.
"Unc Still Got it Mane,'' Smith-Schuster posted following his seven-catch, 130-yard game against the New Orleans Saints in Week 5.
Smith-Schuster, 27, is older than all but one of the Chiefs' other wide receivers. Justin Watson is 28.
That hasn't stopped rookie Xavier Worthy at 21 from calling Smith-Schuster "unc,'' short for uncle.
"Xavier's always made fun of me, like, 'Man, unc man, I don't know if you still got it,'' Smith-Schuster said.
Smith-Schuster is not only enjoying a sudden rise in his career fortunes after his worst statistical season in 2023 for the New England Patriots . He also appreciates being one of the elder statesmen of the wide receiving group for the Chiefs, for whom he played one season with in 2022.
That's a new role for Smith-Schuster, who arrived in the NFL in 2017 at 20 years old with the Pittsburgh Steelers . He said he's finding that experience has its advantages.
"It helped me so much,'' Smith-Schuster said. "You talk about being able to read defenses, being able to see coverages, being able to see so many different things that pretty much help you to the next standard and the next level and being able to share that with the young guys. It's pretty cool because a lot of these guys, they know the coverages, but to be aware and to give little tips in here, 'Hey, this defensive player is doing this, this person's doing this,' it pretty much helps the team.''
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he appreciated Smith-Schuster's attention to detail, comparing him to tight end Travis Kelce of understanding what the Chiefs are trying to accomplish with every pass route on every play.
"He just does a good job of knowing where to be at, knowing the full concept of the offense, getting himself open in man-to-man coverage and then just doing whatever it takes to be good,'' Mahomes said. "He'll block, he'll catch the ball, he'll run routes, get other guys open, just a true team player and then when his number gets called, he goes out there and makes the play and that's what it takes to be great in this league.''
Smith-Schuster was the Chiefs' leading wide receiver in 2022, when he caught 78 passes for 933 yards. He rejoined the Chiefs this summer after training camp, when he was released by the Patriots.
Smith-Schuster was looking at a supporting role this time around until Rashee Rice , the Chiefs' leading receiver at the time, injured his knee in a Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Chargers . Suddenly, he was playing more and had his big game against the Saints.
"Pat has trust in him, so we have trust in him and we've tried to put him in good positions for his strengths and try to utilize those,'' coach Andy Reid said. "I think all of those things kind of add up to production. But the main thing is he's kept himself in great shape and he's smart. He knows how to play the game.''
When he re-signed, Smith-Schuster said he didn't know whether he'd be able to match his numbers from 2022 because the Chiefs had so many other top receiving options. That was before the injury to Rice and while they were thinking Hollywood Brown , also injured, would return early in the season.
Now, if the Chiefs are going to come close to replacing the lost production from the absences of Rice and Brown, Smith-Schuster is the most likely candidate. None of their other wide receivers have ever produced like Smith-Schuster, who had a 111-catch, 1,400-yard season for the Steelers in 2018.
Smith-Schuster said he's ready to respond to that challenge.
"I always have pressure on myself,'' he said. "It's something I've always lived with is playing with pressure. It kind of makes me feel like a better person and a better player.
"I'm always critiquing myself on how I can do better for the team.''
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