Every week on every network, former NFL players criticize current NFL players—it’s the circle of life in professional football.
Few interactions, however, rise to the level of former Panthers and Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr.'s war of words with Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. Before Denver’s 19–8 loss to the Chiefs on Oct. 12, Smith revealed on NFL Network that he'd spoken with Jeudy pregame and promptly laid into the Alabama product for what he said.
The unusually barbed feud gradually de-escalated over the past two weeks, and on Friday Smith issued a public apology to Jeudy on The Pat McAfee Show.
“It was the type of words that I used that obviously did not sit well with him,” Smith said, while at his former university, Utah. “And that’s more important than walking back my words. If you can talk about a man, you’ve got to be able to look that man in the eye and say something and give him an opportunity [to respond].”
"I love breaking down WRs & what I said about Jerry Jeudy wasn't the best way to say it..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 27, 2023
When I approached him I wanted to apologize because the words didn't sit right with him..
I apologize for what I said & I appreciate & love the current players" ~ @SteveSmithSr89 pic.twitter.com/xOLsSEd6hL
Smith conceded he crossed a line with his comments, in which he called Jeudy “mentally unable to handle constructive criticism” and “an average wide receiver.”
“I apologize for how I said it, what I said, and it didn’t sit well,” Smith said.
