Sneed upset Chiefs did not choose him

[KC Warpaint 3,234]

As the Chiefs work around injuries and inexperienced candidates at cornerback, there’s a talented veteran who wanted to play for them this season. 

L’Jarius Sneed.

He’s now a member of the Tennessee Titans, of course, dealt in a March trade that brought the Chiefs a 2025 third-round pick and a swap of seventh-round selections this year. Sneed signed a four-year deal with an average salary of $19.1 million.

But he said leaving Kansas City wasn’t his choice.

“I didn’t talk to them. I was upset,” Sneed said on the Pivot Podcast. “Kansas City, that’s like my first love. They showed me the ways, showed me how to be a champion, gave me two rings.

“I didn’t talk to them. I was bitter and angry because I wanted to stay in that environment around everybody I was used to. But it’s God’s plan.”

 

The Chiefs had plenty of financial priorities this offseason. They made defensive tackle Chris Jones, tight end Travis Kelce and kicker Harrison Butker the NFL’s highest-paid players at their respective positions, while also offering contracts to such players as linebacker Drue Tranquill and defensive linemen Tershawn Wharton and Derrick Nnadi.

Sneed was coming off an excellent year, having recorded a career-high 14 passes defensed and allowing no touchdowns in the regular season — this despite seeing 90 more targets than the nearest defender, per Next Gen Stats.

Sneed’s forced fumble of Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers — as Flowers was about to cross into the end zone — was one of the biggest plays in this year’s AFC Championship Game.

The Chiefs will raise the Super Bowl LVIII championship banner that Sneed helped them win on Sept. 5, when they open the season against the Baltimore Ravens at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. KC’s starting cornerbacks figure to be Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, with Joshua Williams and Nazeeh Johnson behind them.

Charmarri Conner has played some slot corner and safety. Watson, Williams and Johnson have battled injuries in the preseason.

[Burpo The Mad Clown 5,553]

The Chiefs would have been happy to keep him, but math. 

[Joe_Chief 1,092]

He went public with "Pay Me!!" type comments, knowing that the Chiefs were having to make tough decisions.  I believe he also said there would be no hometown discount.  So being bitter about having to sleep in the bed that he made?  Enjoy your $$ and the knowledge that you will never sniff a championship again, LJ.  Great player, but he can fuck off now.

[West 6,713]

It's all about the "calculus".....I think everyone wanted to keep Sneed bot inside and outside the organization.

That said, if he really wanted to stay, he would have been proactive and worked with Veach to make sure the team could sign him to a

contract that would also enable to team to keep Jones and others....IMO, the agent did not help.

w

[Boone 304]

20 minutes ago, West said:

It's all about the "calculus".....I think everyone wanted to keep Sneed bot inside and outside the organization.

That said, if he really wanted to stay, he would have been proactive and worked with Veach to make sure the team could sign him to a

contract that would also enable to team to keep Jones and others....IMO, the agent did not help.

w

Sounds like the same story with Tyreek. The agent pushed for too much, and Veach took a pass at that price. 

[oldtimer 8,683]

Veach is very good at playing poker

[KC Warpaint 3,234]

Other than Patrick, everyone else is replaceable 

[Boone 304]

10 minutes ago, oldtimer said:

Veach is very good at playing poker

So good that Tyreek is still scarred. When he was negotiating his updated deal with the Fins this off-season, he admitted to telling his agent Rosenhaus "Do what you gotta do bro, but don't get me traded again." 🤣

[jetlord 10,207]

1 hour ago, KC Warpaint said:

Other than Patrick, everyone else is replaceable 

Maybe include Jones on that list and add Kelce a couple of years ago.  I really wish the Chiefs could have kept Sneed.  The defense last season was special and Sneed was the main reason.  That being said, it was kind of a turn off when the Chiefs were celebrating the SB repeat and Sneed was pounding his chest and saying, "Pay me, pay me."  Don't blame him for wanting big bucks, but the timing and optics were bad.  

[jetlord 10,207]

3 hours ago, Boone said:

Sounds like the same story with Tyreek. The agent pushed for too much, and Veach took a pass at that price. 

...and won a SB every season since.  🙂  Chiefs don't need no stinkin' Hill.   Can Worthy run a 2-3 jet chip wasp?  

[KC Warpaint 3,234]

1 minute ago, jetlord said:

Maybe include Jones on that list and add Kelce a couple of years ago.  I really wish the Chiefs could have kept Sneed.  The defense last season was special and Sneed was the main reason.  That being said, it was kind of a turn off when the Chiefs were celebrating the SB repeat and Sneed was pounding his chest and saying, "Pay me, pay me."  Don't blame him for wanting big bucks, but the timing and optics were bad.  

I understand that a lot of the players are happy to be on such a successful team right now and they love winning etc, but they all still have ego's and probably feel like they are a reason why the team is successful yet Patrick, Travis and CJ get a lot of the accolades and attention.

[jetlord 10,207]

58 minutes ago, KC Warpaint said:

I understand that a lot of the players are happy to be on such a successful team right now and they love winning etc, but they all still have ego's and probably feel like they are a reason why the team is successful yet Patrick, Travis and CJ get a lot of the accolades and attention.

Sneed got plenty of accolades.  So do McDuffy, Reid, Pacheco, Rice, Humphrey, Smith and Thuney among others.  They all had a big role in the Chiefs last two SBs (except Rice).  Getting big bucks is something most of us would have as a priority but I don't see the urgency to be paid more than whoever else is playing the same position.  Would Sneed rather have $19.5 with no chance at another ring or $17 and win with his four year teammates?  Guess he's the only one to answer that question. 

[KC Warpaint 3,234]

3 hours ago, jetlord said:

Sneed got plenty of accolades.  So do McDuffy, Reid, Pacheco, Rice, Humphrey, Smith and Thuney among others.  They all had a big role in the Chiefs last two SBs (except Rice).  Getting big bucks is something most of us would have as a priority but I don't see the urgency to be paid more than whoever else is playing the same position.  Would Sneed rather have $19.5 with no chance at another ring or $17 and win with his four year teammates?  Guess he's the only one to answer that question. 

Well, him and tyreek