NFL Network's Steve Smith blasts Broncos' Jerry Jeudy following ...

There’s no love lost between Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and NFL Network analyst Steve Smith.

Smith, a five-time Pro Bowl selection during his playing career, claimed that he and Jeudy had a pregame confrontation that stemmed from a comment the retired wide receiver made about the Broncos player on his podcast.

“On my podcast I talked about guys that maybe have not showed up in a way,” Smith said on NFL Network before the Broncos and Chiefs kicked off Thursday night. “The word that I’ve used to describe him in the past was a J.A.G. — just a guy. When I saw him, he’s playing well. I wanted to say to him face to face, ‘hey, I know I’ve said some things in the past. I probably shouldn’t have and I’m sorry.’ That’s what I wanted to say to him. His response was, ‘(racial slur), I don’t mess with you.’ And it was a curse word. So I was like, ‘all right.’ And then he repeated it.”

Smith went on to deliver some not-so-subtle jabs.

“I’m sorry that I said you were a J.A.G., just a guy. Who’s an average wide receiver who they used a first-round pick on that isn’t doing anything," Smith said. "I hope today that you actually show up in a way that you haven’t showed up in the last couple years since they drafted you. So if you ever have a problem with Agent 89, I’m sorry, for saying that you’re an average wide receiver that they will eventually move on (from).”

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Jeudy was seen on camera walking behind Smith’s live shot, but the retired wide receiver took the high road.

“When I used to play, I would engage and I love that. But right now, I’m 44 years old. I don’t need to have this drama and I also don’t need to have any problems on the sideline for me doing something that will jeopardize not just me but him,” Smith continued. “One of the biggest problems we have in the media, especially as a young Black man, sometimes is Black-on-Black crime. I’m not gonna participate in that. I’m not gonna participate where the national media can see two African American men acting like we don’t got no sense. He didn’t like what I said and that’s fine. I wanted to talk to him. He didn’t like it, so we move on.”

In 16 NFL seasons, Smith was selected to five Pro Bowls and was named a first team All-Pro twice. He was the NFL receiving yards leader and Comeback Player of the Year in 2005. The former Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver finished with 1,031 catches, 14,731 receiving yards and 81 touchdowns in 219 career games.

The Broncos selected Jeudy No. 15 overall in the 2020 NFL draft. He has 174 catches, 2,503 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 45 career games. He’s never made a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team.