KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is establishing himself as his quarterback’s No. 2 target behind tight end Travis Kelce and his performance against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday night earned him his first contract incentive.
Smith-Schuster caught 10 of his targets for 88 yards in Sunday’s win, bringing his season total to 44 catches and 582 yards.
“I’m not going to lie to you, moments like this, I embrace it, I love it,” Smith-Schuster said. “I don’t back down from anything. This is what separated the good and great.”
Those numbers surpass the first in a scale of contract incentives based on catches and yards.
According to Spotrac, the non-cumulative statistical incentives are as follows:
- 40 catches – $500,000
- 50 catches – $1 million
- 65 catches – $1.5 million
- 500 yards – $500,000
- 650 yards – $1 million
- 900 yards – $1.5 million
JuJu is well on pace to break both top tiers of those incentives, earning him $3 million, plus a possible additional $1.5 million if he plays 65% of snaps.
The former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver has been earning quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ trust in the last few weeks.
In the last three games, Mahomes has found JuJu for 325 yards, two touchdowns and 22 catches, compared to the 257 yards, 0 touchdowns on 34 catches in the first five weeks.
Mahomes has spread the ball to all of his weapons, but JuJu is leading the wide receiver group as the Chiefs make their playoff push.
