Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith, fresh off his Super Bowl LIX heroics, delivered a verbal jab to NFC East rival Washington Commanders during his first media appearance since the NFL championship. The former Alabama All-American, who earned the nickname “The Dagger” with a game-changing touchdown in the Eagles’ 40-22 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs on Feb. 9, 2025, spoke at mandatory minicamp about his career-defining moments and his offseason focus.
Smith’s 46-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter of Super Bowl LIX, which gave Philadelphia a commanding 34-0 lead, marked him as the first Crimson Tide alumnus to score a receiving touchdown in a Super Bowl. The play, dubbed “The Dagger,” was a highlight of his four-catch, 69-yard performance in the game held in New Orleans, a homecoming for the Louisiana native.
At his Tuesday press conference, Smith was asked if the Super Bowl touchdown was the pinnacle of his career catches. “I would say it’s top three,” he said with a grin. “… The other two would be two catches against Washington. It’s a lot of them.” The comment, a playful dig at the Commanders, underscored his dominance against them, with 44 receptions for 559 yards and three touchdowns in eight career games.
Reflecting on the Super Bowl, Smith shared the emotional weight of playing in front of his family in New Orleans. “I just kind of came out the tunnel, and it just kind of hit me,” he said. “My grandfather, he doesn’t come up here to games, so him being able to see me in the NFL at the biggest game, that’s what kind of set in with me. … Winning at home in front of my family, that hit me harder than just winning it overall.”
Smith’s 2024 season saw him record 68 receptions for 833 yards and eight touchdowns, a dip from his back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns in 2022 and 2023. Injuries forced him to miss four games, a stark contrast to missing just one in his first three seasons. “I had some injuries this year, so that’s probably the biggest thing—just doing things to prevent having those injuries,” Smith said. “Just strengthen whatever I need to strengthen.”
Absent from the voluntary portion of Philadelphia’s offseason program, Smith stayed active, documenting his training on his YouTube channel. At minicamp, he got his first in-person look at the Eagles’ offense under new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, promoted from pass-game coordinator after Kellen Moore left to become head coach of the New Orleans Saints. “It looks good,” Smith said of Patullo’s system. “Football is football. Everybody does the same thing, different terminology, so getting down to learning his philosophy, the way he does things, why he does it.”
With the offseason program wrapped up, the Eagles will reconvene for training camp on July 22. Before then, Smith will trade his cleats for a bat at the fourth annual DeVonta Smith and Friends Celebrity Softball Game on June 28 at Coca-Cola Field in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The event, which benefits St. Luke’s Hospital in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, offers a chance for fans to see Eagles players in a lighter setting. “It’s great just to give the guys a time to step away from football, to just be themselves,” Smith said. “Some guys are not the best at baseball, so give the fans a chance to come out there and see us do other things. … Ultimately, it’s a fundraiser for the hospital, so just being able to give back to the community that way.”
As Smith prepares for the 2025 season, his focus remains on staying healthy and building on his Super Bowl success. With “The Dagger” still fresh in his arsenal, he’s ready to carve up defenses—especially Washington’s—once again.