Jonnu Smith didn’t expect to leave Miami. After a record-breaking season, a Pro Bowl nod, and what felt like mutual momentum toward a long-term future with the Dolphins, the veteran tight end was already imagining life in South Florida for the long haul.
But on Wednesday, during an appearance on “The Terron Armstead Podcast,” Smith shared how quickly things changed behind the scenes and why he ultimately ended up with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Jonnu Smith Believed He Was Key to Dolphins’ Future Before Sudden Trade
Smith admitted the trade caught him off guard. After posting 88 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns, all new franchise records for a tight end, he assumed a new deal with Miami was inevitable.
“I felt like I was in a position and one of the key ingredients to helping this team succeed,” Smith said. “Me and my agent, we’re like, ‘This a no-brainer. We gone be here forever.’”
According to Smith, contract talks started in January. His camp expected a raise from the $4.8 million he was due in 2025, a fair ask for someone who just delivered the best year of his career. But as negotiations dragged on, the tone shifted. The Dolphins, he says, hit a financial wall. The appreciation he once felt started to fade.
He mentioned that he was looking for a bigger house. “But eventually it came a point and time when they told me they can’t do it.”
The trade stung, Smith admitted. But it wasn’t about culture or fit. A source close to the team confirmed the decision came down to numbers, not locker room dynamics.
Smith Reunites With Arthur Smith in Pittsburgh After Dolphins Trade
Pittsburgh didn’t just offer a new opportunity. They offered belief and $12 million on a one-year deal.
“I had to make the decision to go where I’m appreciated and viewed on paper, economically, contract-wise as a top guy in this league, which I know I am,” Smith said.
The move also reunites him with Arthur, his former coordinator and head coach, under whom he saw consistent usage and growth in Tennessee. For Smith, there’s trust in that system and security in knowing where he stands.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh’s all-in approach this offseason, acquiring Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Darius Slay, and Jalen Ramsey, shows their belief that 2025 is the window. With Smith joining that core, expectations will be high.
As for the Dolphins? They’ll visit the Steelers in Week 15, likely under the primetime lights of Monday Night Football. That might be the perfect setting for Smith to remind Miami exactly what they let go.