“When there’s film sessions, everybody shows up. When I check to a route, you do the right route. Like Jonnu and I just weren’t on the same page. I checked to his in breaker, and he ran (an) out breaker. Jonnu is a true professional. I’m sure he’s sick about that…We have our meetings every week. We have other opportunities outside of the facility. Look forward to seeing all the boys there.”

— Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on a missed connection with TE Jonnu Smith in Week 13

You mean to tell the starting quarterback of the team inferred in the postgame press conference after a loss that players weren’t doing what needed to be done outside of formal meeting times and laid down the gauntlet for his teammates? Why Pittsburgh, how so very Miami of you!

The Steelers sit at 6-6 this season after a 4-1 start to the season. They’re fresh off of giving up more rushing yards to a team (the Buffalo Bills) than any team has posted in the history of Pittsburgh’s home stadium. The Steelers loaded up on veteran players this offseason to try to break through a glass ceiling of being a competitive team enduring an extensive playoff win drought. Gee, that sounds familiar, no? Their season teeters on the brink with a matchup against the Baltimore Ravens upcoming next week.

After that? A date with the Dolphins in primetime.

Miami’s former players in the fray in Pittsburgh have had a mixed experience in 2025. Safety De’Shon Elliott, who couldn’t bash Miami quickly enough this offseason, is out for the season with an injury. Jalen Ramsey made a mid-season position switch and has been living at free safety in a bid to extend the ceiling of his career. It’s been a success, but the Steelers’ defense still ranks 24th in scoring and 28th in yards this season.

Jonnu Smith has nearly caught as many strays from Rodgers in press conferences as he has touchdowns this season. Jonnu is averaging a career-worst 6.3 yards per reception and 0.81 yards receiving per route run in 2025 — he averaged 1.95 yards per route run with Miami in 2024, which ranked fifth-best among qualifying tight ends at the end of the year.

No, the grass isn’t always greener. It was greener in the way of more cash for both players — and for this season to date, it’s been greener in the way of wins. But Miami’s recent stretch paired with Pittsburgh’s catastrophic November have the Dolphins firmly on the Steelers’ tail as we enter into the final stretch.

Both teams are on the doorstep of another season gone by without that elusive playoff win. The difference between the two, of course, is that Miami took their bad medicine to transition away from a veteran-heavy, big name approach to the roster. Whereas Pittsburgh saw the model Miami laid and said “Yeah, let’s do that!”.

Jonnu Smith’s 2024 season with Miami versus 2025 season with Pittsburgh

Touchdown receptions: 8 in 2024, 2 in 2025
Yards per reception: 10.4 in 2024, 6.3 in 2025
Yards per route run: 1.95 in 2024 (fifth-best among TEs), 0.81 in 2025 (second-worst among TEs)

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This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Dec 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.