NEW ORLEANS — DeVonta Smith played a big role in Philadelphia’s lopsided Super Bowl LIX victory.
The Amite City, Louisiana native and Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama recorded the first reception of the game, an eight-yard pass from Jalen Hurts, that picked up a first down for the Eagles.
In the second quarter, Hurts targeted Smith again when he needed to pick up a first down as he hauled in a nine-yard pass on third and eight. His best play was in the third quarter when he caught a 46-yard touchdown pass from Hurts.
Smith would end the night leading the Eagles with four receptions for 69 yards and one touchdown in the 40-22 victory.
Winning the Super Bowl is just the latest accolade for the Louisiana product.
Smith would haul in 235 receptions for 3,965 yards and 46 touchdowns in four seasons with the Crimson Tide. He also helped Alabama win two College Football Playoff championships (2017, 2020), and earned unanimous All-American honors as a senior when he won the Fred Biletnikoff Award, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, and the Heisman Memorial Trophy.
In four seasons with the Eagles, Smith has 308 receptions for 4,011 yards and 27 touchdowns in the regular season. He also has 39 receptions for 526 yards and one touchdown in eight playoff games.
SENSATIONAL SAQUON
Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley capped his Offensive Player of the Year season by breaking two longstanding NFL records. With his 57 rushing yards, Barkley reached 2,504 rushing yards on the season and passed Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Davis (2,476 in 1998) for most rushing yards in a single regular and postseason. His 97 total yards also allowed him to surpass Davis (2,762 in 1998) for most scrimmage yards in a single season, playoffs included, with 2,857 yards.
SUPER BOWL MVPS
To say that the Super Bowl MVP award always goes to a quarterback is an understatement. With Jalen Hurts taking home the top honor on Sunday night, quarterbacks have received the award 34 times. Defensive players are second all-time with 10 — with the last being Denver’s Von Miller in Super Bowl 50. Wide receivers have won it eight times with the most recent being Los Angeles’ Cooper Kupp in Super Bowl 56, running backs have done it seven times but the last was Denver’s Terrell Davis in Super Bowl 32, while a returner has won it once — Green Bay’s Desmond Howard in Super Bowl 31.
MOST SUPER BOWL CATCHES
Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce caught four passes on Sunday to pass Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for most receptions in Super Bowl history. Rice had 33 in his career and Kelce had 31 heading into Sunday’s game. With 39 receiving yards, Kelce also moved into second all-time when it came to receiving yards passing Pittsburgh wide receiver Lynn Swann and New England-Tampa Bay tight end Rob Gronkowski — who each had 364 yards in Super Bowls. Kelce though still trails the all-time leader who is Rice who is a mind-blowing 589 yards.
EXCLUSIVE COMPANY
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, defensive end Chris Jones, kicker Harrison Butker, and long snapper James Winchester played in their fifth Super Bowl in six seasons. There are only three players in NFL history that have played in more Super Bowls than the five Chiefs. Those are New England-Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady (10), New England kicker Stephen Gostkowski (6), and Buffalo-Denver defensive tackle Mike Lodish (6).
RARE REMATCH VICTORY
The Super Bowl LIX was only the fourth rematch between starting quarterbacks in Super Bowl history. The others are Pittsburgh’s Terry Bradshaw vs. Dallas’ Roger Staubach, Dallas’ Troy Aikman vs. Buffalo’s Jim Kelly, and New York Giants’ Eli Manning vs. New England’s Tom Brady. The previous three times, the quarterback who won the first meeting one the rematch.
TIGERS IN THE SUPER BOWL
For 24 consecutive years, LSU has had at least one former player on the roster of the teams in the Super Bowl. This season it was running back Ty Davis-Price and defensive back Andre’ Sam who are both on the practice squad for the Philadelphia Eagles and appeared in one game during the regular season. The 24-straight years is the longest current streak in college football.