L'Jarius Sneed Admits He Was 'Bitter' About Chiefs Trade in New Comments

As with any NFL offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs were forced to say goodbye to several players this summer for salary cap-related reasons. While some of those individuals won't be missed, the same can't be said for fan-favorite cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, who was traded to the Tennessee Titans back in March after being unable to agree to a new deal with the Chiefs.

One of the best ballhawks in the NFL, Sneed's abilities are a big reason why Kansas City's defense was as elite as it was last season. It's never easy for fans to see a player of his caliber leave the team, especially when it's clear that the 27-year-old CB never wanted to leave town in the first place.

Last week, the ex-Louisiana Tech product shared his side of the story.

Chiefs News: L'Jarius Sneed Feels 'Bitter' About Offseason Trade

On Friday, Sneed sat down with former NFL players Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor, and Channing Crowder on "The Pivot Podcast" to discuss March's trade. Sneed described himself at the time as being "bitter" and "upset" by the situation despite head coach Andy Reid and QB Patrick Mahomes mentioning how shocked they were to see him traded.

Athletes know that trades are a part of professional sports, but that didn't soften the blow for Sneed. The part that hurt him the most was that he considered Kansas City to be his second home, especially after winning back-to-back Super Bowls.

"Kansas City, that's like my first love. They showed me the ways, showed me how to be a champion. Gave my two [Super Bowl] rings. I was bitter, I was angry because I wanted to stay in that environment around everybody who I was used to. "

- L'Jarius Sneed

Fortunately, Sneed's tone seems to indicate that he's no longer upset about the situation. Just like the saying goes, everything happens for a reason and the ex-Bulldog is confident that the offseason trade was all a part of "God's plan" for him.

Drafted 138th overall by the Chiefs in 2020, Sneed has done well at establishing himself as one of the NFL's top cornerbacks. The Minden, LA native suited up in 16 games for the Chiefs last season, allowing just 42 receptions on 80 targets (52.5%) for 406 receiving yards without a touchdown and a 56.6 passer rating.

His efforts resulted in Pro Football Focus grading him as the No. 30 cornerback in terms of coverage (73.8) and overall defense (72.5). Sneed's impressive performance is a key reason why the Titans didn't waste time to sign him to a new four-year, $76.4 million contract just a few days after they sent two draft picks to the Chiefs.

The Chiefs likely would've kept the two-time Super Bowl-winning CB had it not been for their salary cap situation. Moving Sneed freed up nearly $20 million in cap space for Kansas City, which allowed general manager Brett Veach to further flesh out the roster as the franchise aims for a third consecutive Lombardi Trophy.

Watching the Chiefs without Sneed will initially be weird, but his departure shouldn't hurt Kansas City that much. After all, the Chiefs are still projected to open the 2024 NFL season as FanDuel Sportsbook's +550 Super Bowl LIX favorites.

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