Ugly Fight Unfolds At Pittsburgh Steelers Camp Involving New Trade Acquisition Jonnu Smith

Cameras caught Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith and safety Juan Thornhill getting into a heated altercation during Thursday’s practice.

The Steelers signed the former Kansas City Chiefs star and two-time Super Bowl champion in free agency following his release from the AFC North rival Cleveland Browns.

Pittsburgh continued to load up on big-name additions, bringing in superstar wideout DK Metcalf, future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, plus Jonnu Smith and Jalen Ramsey in a trade with the Miami Dolphins that sent Minkah Fitzpatrick to the AFC East club.

Smith and Thornhill have only been teammates for a month, but it appears that the two have already gotten irritated with one another (or, at least, for one day). As you can see in the clips below, tempers flared between the two during Thursday’s practice:

#Steelers S Juan Thornhill and TE Jonnu Smith get into a heated fight after going back and forth in 1v1s at training camp! 😳🍿 pic.twitter.com/KXb4acWO53

— Steelers Update (@SteelersUpdate1) August 1, 2025

🚨🚨WILD FOOTAGE🚨🚨#STEELERS DB JUAN THORNHILL AND TE JONNU SMITH GOT INTO A MASSIVE FIGHT AT PITTSBURGH TRAINING CAMP TODAY.

WOW 😳😳😳

(🎥via @SteelersUpdate1)
pic.twitter.com/7QR07tTW76

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) August 1, 2025

Per Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Jonnu Smith downplayed the skirmish and said they were simply just battling out there and bringing competitive energy.

Training camp fights always make headlines in the NFL, but far more often than not, it’s just players getting a little heated during the competition. If anything else, it shows just how hard Smith and Thornhill are working to make an impact with their new team.

The new-look Steelers will face the Jacksonville Jaguars in their first preseason game on Aug. 9 (7:00 p.m. EST). They’ll kick off the regular season on the road against the New York Jets on Sept. 7, Rodgers’ former team.

Jonnu Smith Is In Line For A Career Year With Steelers

Smith had a career year for the Dolphins in 2024, racking up 88 receptions for 884 yards and eight touchdowns to earn his first Pro Bowl nod. But with a future Hall of Famer in Aaron Rodgers throwing him the football, Smith is in a good spot to post the best numbers of his career.

Jonnu Smith put up strong numbers as Miami’s No. 3 pass-catcher behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Metcalf projects to be Pittsburgh’s top receiver, but Smith should get every opportunity to emerge as Rodgers’ No. 2 option.

Also Read: Aaron Rodgers Finally Responds After Terry Bradshaw Called His Move To The Pittsburgh Steelers A “Joke”