Patriots ace claims he faces eye-watering bill after free agency signing

22 March 2023 , 21:03

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JuJu Smith-Schuster wore the No.9 jersey during his time with the Kansas City Chiefs (Image: Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

New England Patriots new boy JuJu Smith-Schuster reckons it will cost him £81,400 ($100,000) if he wants to remain wearing the No.9 jersey he donned with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The wide receiver secured a three-year £26.9million ($33 m) deal with the Patriots last week after opting to depart the Chiefs just weeks after winning the Super Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona.

But due to a peculiar NFL policy which requires players foot the bill of unsold jerseys should they switch numbers, Smith-Schuster estimates he will have to pay a hefty price to prize his preferred number away from defensive end Matthew Judon.

“When you’re on the same team and you have the same number and if you change it, you have to pay the fee for the rest of that jersey,” the 26-year-old told The Sports Hub’s Zolak and Bertrand Show on Tuesday. “And then whatever new number you get, you’ve got to pay the inventory for that and that’s a whole process.

“[Judon’s] probably going to have to ask for 100k, which I’m definitely not going to do.” The No.9 jersey’s projected sum is largely down to the popularity of Judon, who finished last campaign with 60 tackles, 15.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. Smith-Schuster added: “I probably wouldn’t go over 30k.”

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Whether or not the 2018 Pro Bowler wears the No.9 is immaterial to a Patriots organisation who have added an elite wide receiver to their roster. The former Pittsburgh Steeler had 78 catches for 933 yards last season and scored three touchdowns in a title winning year.

JuJu Smith-Schuster's solitary season with the Chiefs yielded a Super Bowl crown (Peter Aiken/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

There was some speculation that Smith-Schuster might have returned to the Chiefs for the upcoming season, but the California native revealed it was the opportunity to work under legendary coach Bill Belichick that enticed him to Foxborough.

“To be honest, it was Belichick, man,” Smith-Schuster said. “Just the want and the need. And, you know, the position that I can fill there really, really caught my attention. And I felt that like that was most, feeling wanted in a place when I played against a head coach I have a lot of respect for. And I just think that that goes a long way.”

Smith-Schuster replaces Jakobi Meyers, who left the squad as a free agent this off-season, and is joined by former Miami Dolphins man Mike Gesicki at tight end. Coming off a lacklustre 8-9 season, Belichick’s side have opted for a solid, methodical approach to free agent acquisitions as they bid to capture some of the magic of old.

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