Along with winning a Super Bowl ring for the first time in his career, former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster also garnered a $1 million contract incentive with Kansas City’s Super Bowl LVII. The Chiefs had to win the Super Bowl and Smith-Schuster had to play at least half the offensive snaps.
JuJu got an incentive and a ring pic.twitter.com/OfBuGiLFYC
— alex (@highlightheaven) February 13, 2023
“Words can’t explain this moment! SUPER BOWL CHAMP!!” Smith-Schuster tweeted.
Smith-Schuster said Chris Jones recruited him to play for the Chiefs following Kansas City’s wild-card win over the Steelers in 2021. “Hey, come over here and get you one,” Smith-Schuster said Jones told him in reference to a Super Bowl ring. Smith-Schuster said he really took that offer to heart and thought about it when he entered free agency a few months later.
CBS Sports: The controversial late-game holding penalty on James Bradberry will be talked about in Philadelphia for decades. However, the All-Pro cornerback admitted that he did pull on Smith-Schuster’s jersey. “I pulled on his jersey. They called it. I was hoping they would let it ride,” Bradberry said. Smith-Schuster said postgame that he was “one hundred percent” held by Bradberry.
ESPN Stats & Info: The Eagles joined the Falcons as the second team in Super Bowl history to blow a double-digit lead at halftime. Philadelphia lead the Chiefs, 24-14, at halftime while Atlanta blew an 18-point lead against the Patriots in Super Bowl LI. Teams leading by double digits at halftime of a Super Bowl were 26-1 prior to Sunday. The Eagles set the Super Bowl record for most points by a losing team.
Philly Voice: Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata said the field in Arizona was terrible. “It was like playing on a water park.” The playing surface was noticeably abysmal throughout the game as a lot of players were slipping. Eagles edge rusher Haason Reddick said it was “the worst field” he’s ever played on. The NFL spent $800,000 on the field in a two-year preparation for the Super Bowl.
In the second half, the Chiefs had zero penalties, zero turnovers, zero punts, zero sacks allowed and only one incompletion (throw away).
After recording 78 sacks this season (including playoffs), the Eagles shockingly didn’t record a single sack against the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes said the Chiefs offensive line took the hype around the Eagles pass rush personally. They held All-Pro Haason Reddick to zero sacks and only one tackle.
NFL on CBS: Patrick Mahomes is the first quarterback to throw 5,000+ passing yards and win the Super Bowl in the same season. He also also joined Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Bart Starr, Eli Manning and Terry Bradshaw as the only players to win multiple Super Bowl MVPs.
CBS Sports: Mahomes became the first League MVP since Kurt Warner in 1999 to win the Super Bowl in the same season. He also also joined Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Bart Starr, Eli Manning and Terry Bradshaw as the only players to win multiple Super Bowl MVPs.
Darren Rovell: Chiefs wide receiver Skyy Moore scored his first touchdown of the season in the Super Bowl. A bettor at DraftKings Sportsbook had a $5,000 anytime touchdown on Moore. It pays $37,500.
NFL Network: Kadarius Toney’s 65-yard punt return in the fourth quarter was the longest in Super Bowl history. When asked by Stacey Dales why the Chiefs worked out after being traded by the Giants mid-season, Toney responded, “I’m a Super Bowl Champion, that’s why.”
Chiefs backup quarterback Chad Henne retired as a Super Bowl champ. “Calling it a career. Capping it off with a Bud Light and another ring,” Henne announced on Instagram.
Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson thinks the Steelers are far away from being Super Bowl contenders. “Steeler fans you’re not beating my Bengals anytime soon to reach this day you speak of, i say this with love,” Johnson tweeted.
AROUND THE NETWORK
Pittsburgh Sports Now: Pitt quarterback Nick Patti has called it a career after his Sun Bowl win.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Could the Penguins trade for a third-line center?
West Virginia Sports Now: WVU basketball is on the outside looking in of the NCAA tournament bubble.
Nittany Sports Now: Miles Sanders was injured in his Super Bowl loss.
Pittsburgh Baseball Now: The Pirates signed catcher Kevin Plawecki to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.