The Pittsburgh Steelers acquired tight end Jonnu Smith in an offseason trade with the Miami Dolphins entering the 2025 season. On Monday night, Smith will face his former team for the first time as a member of the Steelers.
Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press
Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith catches pass against Cleveland Browns in a Steelers Week 5 win.
Smith was asked about the magnitude of the game on Monday and if any emotions will come into play as he goes up against his former team. Smith's response to the media was a humble one, something you should expect from a veteran as the Steelers enter a game with massive playoff implications.
"It's another game for me," Smith said. "I can't get caught up with the emotions of it. (I'm a) professional, I'm going into this game like any other. I expect to go in there and get a win."
The Steelers added Smith in the 2025 offseason, as he plays much more like a slot wide receiver than he does a traditional NFL tight end. Smith, a 2017 third-round pick by the Tennessee Titans, has compiled 30 receptions for 190 yards and two touchdowns thus far in the Steel City.
Those numbers are well off the pace of the 2024 season he had in Miami, where he put up 88 receptions for 884 yards and eight touchdowns. Smith is not the only one in the Steelers offense that has seen production drop, however. The Steelers offense as a whole has been pedestrian at times, and frustrations have mounted over that in Pittsburgh.
Regardless of Smith's attitude towards this being just another game, the Steelers would welcome a breakout performance for Smith against his old team on Monday as they look to try to increase their lead on the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North division.
The Steelers did enjoy a breakout game from wide receiver DK Metcalf, as Metcalf went off for seven catches and 142 yards receiving in the Steelers' 27-22 win over the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. A similar style breakout game for Smith would be a welcome sight to the eyes of Steelers fans on Monday night in primetime.
Sebastian Foltz / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith runs past New York Jets defenders in Week 1 of 2025 NFL Season.
In 2024, Smith earned his first career Pro Bowl selection, as he set Dolphins tight end records for receptions, yards, and touchdowns with the numbers he posted during that campaign. The Steelers do not need Smith to step up to those kinds of levels on Monday, but a solid performance from Smith should help the Steelers offense find some consistency and build off the momentum it had in Week 14 at Baltimore.
Steelers Players Seemingly Not on Same Page During Last Home Game
A good home game from Smith could also help to get him back in the good graces of his quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who eluded to Steelers players not being on the same page with him and perhaps even running incorrect routes in their Week 13 home loss against the Buffalo Bills. The Steelers have been trying to get Smith active and involved in the offense like they had hoped to do so when they traded for him back in June, a trade in which also brought Jalen Ramsey to the Steel City.
Jeff Dean / Associated Press
Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith celebrates with quarterback Aaron Rodgers in during a Week 7 loss at the Cincinnati Bengals.
It is not clear exactly what Rodgers was referring to, as the post-game comments from Rodgers did not ever receive much traction in terms of attention when he mentioned that he checked to Smith's in-breaker when Smith ran an out-breaker. The numbers do show, however, that the Steelers are working to utilize Smith as much as possible in hopes to get their offense going.
Smith has been targeted 44 times by the Steelers, which is fourth most on the entire team, and that number sits well above the rest in the Steelers' tight end room. Smith is a versatile tight end with a 6'3" frame and weighs 248 pounds. He has long been known as that in the NFL, which is largely what helped him contribute to a Dolphins' record-breaking season in 2024 in numbers at the tight end position.
With Smith's large, versatile frame and weather being forecasted in the teens Monday in Pittsburgh, the Steelers would be wise to get the ball to Smith early and often to punish the Miami defenders in the blistering Pittsburgh weather. Whether it is a highly emotional game or not for Smith, that can help propel the Steelers to a needed victory on Monday in hopes of adding to their AFC North lead.
Do you think Smith will play a pivotal role in the Steelers game against his former team Monday night? Let us know in the comments below!
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