Before Monday night’s game between the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy admitted that he wanted to be traded by the organization that drafted him in order to see his “full potential.”
“It just wasn’t working over there,” Jeudy said, via ESPN. “I felt like I was a way better player than they used me as. I wanted to go somewhere that would use me, see my full potential and take advantage of it.”
Well, he realized that full potential on Monday night.
The former Alabama star wide receiver hauled in a career high nine receptions for 235 yards and a touchdown. According to ESPN, it’s the most receiving yards by a player in his first game against a former team in NFL history.
However he’d trade it all for a win.
“Hell yeah, I would,” Jeudy said after the game. “They can have that. I need that W. That was one step closer to get to the playoffs. We need that.”
After the game, Jeudy met with a few former teammates at midfield before delivering a message to Broncos coach Sean Payton. “I’ll be back,” the wide receiver appears to say at the end of the exchange.Fans had a good time with his postgame message.
“Bro should’ve just stayed,” one person said.
“He ain’t gonna be back,” said another with a laughing emoji.
“No ill will there just letting him know he had a great game and was always this good and Payton acknowledging it. Good players get out of balance in not the best situation for them all the time, Payton knew he was talented, it just wasn’t working there anymore,” offered a third.
Denver selected Jeudy with the No. 15 pick in the 2020 draft, but traded him for a fifth- and sixth-round picks in 2024 after four middling seasons. Following his strong performance, which drew boos from fans, Jeudy issued another message.
“There were a lot of boos, huh? What that mean? A lot of catches, too. They only boo you when they know there’s something great in you.”
In the end, Denver walked out with a 41-32 win.
