Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster signed one of the NFL’s most incentive-heavy contracts this offseason, and his last chance to hit a major incentive is on Super Bowl Sunday.
If the Chiefs win and Smith-Schuster plays at least 50 percent of their offensive snaps, he gets another $1 million.
Smith-Schuster’s contract was sold as a one-year, $10.75 million deal. As PFT reported at the time, that was a misrepresentation of Smith-Schuster’s deal, which had only a $3.25 million base. The other $7.5 million came in incentives that, at the time of the signing, looked pretty tough for Smith-Schuster to hit.
But Smith-Schuster has already hit most of them. Here’s a look at how the contract was structured and how Smith-Schuster’s season has gone:
For at least 40 receptions, Smith-Schuster would another $500,000. For at least 50 receptions, that number would become $1 million. And at 65 receptions, it maxed out at $1.5 million. Smith-Schuster caught 78 passes, so he got the $1.5 million.
For at least 500 receiving yards, Smith-Schuster would get another $500,000. For at least 650 receiving yards, it would become $1 million. And at 900 yards, the amount reached the limit of $1.5 million. Smith-Schuster had 933 yards, so he hit the $1.5 million again.
For playing 45 percent of the Chiefs’ snaps, Smith-Schuster would get $500,000. For playing 65 percent he would get $1.5 million. Smith-Schuster played 67 percent of the Chiefs’ offensive snaps, so he got the $1.5 million.
For being selected as one of the four AFC wide receivers on the original Pro Bowl roster, Smith-Schuster would have made another $1 million, but he was not selected.
By hitting 65 catches and 900 yards, Smith-Schuster also made himself eligible for two postseason incentives: $1 million for playing at least 50 percent of snaps in the AFC Championship Game if the Chiefs win, and $1 million for playing at least 50 percent of snaps in the Super Bowl if the Chiefs win.
Unfortunately for Smith-Schuster, he played only 45 percent of the Chiefs’ offensive snaps in the AFC Championship Game, so he missed out on that incentive. But he can still get $1 million for playing 50 percent of snaps in the Super Bowl, if the Chiefs win.
Add it all up, and Smith-Schuster so far this season has made his $3.25 million base and $4.5 million in incentives, for $7.75 million so far. He can push it to $8.75 million on Sunday, and then he can hit free agency in March, knowing that he bet on himself with an incentive-heavy contract, and it paid off.
