The Pittsburgh Maulers are finally playing their first game in the brand-new USFL on Monday night but they were in the news all day due to a strange situation captured as part of a documentary.
In a scene from United By Football: A Season in the USFL that went viral on Monday, Pittsburgh head coach Kirby Wilson cut running back De’Veon Smith after he asked a cafeteria worker for a slice of pizza.
Bro got cut by a USFL team for ordering pizza instead of a chicken salad??? lmaoooo pic.twitter.com/Vo7n7HD0PU
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) April 18, 2022
The incident made Wilson and the Maulers look petty and childish as it was clear that most people disagreed that the punishment fit the “crime.”
Meanwhile, Smith took to Twitter to defend himself after the clip went viral.
I SAID NOTHING DISRESPECTFUL OR DID ANYTHING DISRESPECTFUL!
— De'Veon Smith (@i_BSmith4) April 18, 2022
The Maulers responded to the viral controversy by releasing a statement right before Monday’s game against the Tampa Bay Bandits. According to the USFL franchise, the footage was not the entire story and lacked some important context.
Pittsburgh Maulers statement on De’Veon Smith being cut from the the team on ‘United by Football’. pic.twitter.com/OHmj2vuQTo
— Pittsburgh Maulers (@USFLMaulers) April 18, 2022
According to the Maulers, Smith has “violated three team rules in a 24-hour span, and in this particular incident, disrespected a cafeteria worker, which wasn’t captured on camera.” They also added that Smith “reached out directly to Coach Wilson to apologize, and asked to be reinstated to the Maulers’ roster.”
While that might give more weight to the reaction by the team and Wilson, Smith was quick to respond to the statement by undermining its validity.
What rules did I break? Now your lying on my name????? Say less https://t.co/NsfnidUZoe
— De'Veon Smith (@i_BSmith4) April 18, 2022
Show me the three team rules I broke please!
— De'Veon Smith (@i_BSmith4) April 18, 2022
“What rules did I break?” asked Smith, who does not seem to be aware that he broke any rules, let alone three. “Show me the three team rules I broke please,” he added in a follow-up tweet.
I was never made aware that I violated any team rules, let alone 3 in a 24hr span. I never disrespected anyone. Coach Kirby and I spoke after being released. In that talk, he said that he’d certainly vouch for my character.
— De'Veon Smith (@i_BSmith4) April 18, 2022
The Maulers would love for all the attention to be on their game Monday night but it sure seems like the controversy around this incident will not be going away anytime soon, which has to be a frustration for the nascent football league. However, if they don’t want to be seen as a bush-league operation, they need to account for this situation publicly.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.