- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 400,110
- Reaction score
- 43
After Savannah native Nolan Smith Jr. won Super Bowl LIX when the Philadelphia Eagles dominated Kansas City in February, Mayor Van Johnson reached out to the former UGA and Calvary Day star to talk about holding a parade in his honor in the Hostess City.
But Smith declined the offer, and suggested he could hold an event that would give back to his hometown in a more substantial way through his charitable foundation.
On Monday, Smith's idea came to fruition as he hosted the Nolan Smith Jr. Charity Golf Tournament at Southbridge Golf Club. There was a full field taking their shots on the course and a strong crowd afterward in the clubhouse as Johnson showed up to honor Smith with a Proclamation and the Key to the City.
"Nolan didn't want a parade, he and his mom wanted to be able to create an opportunity to support his foundation so he could give back through it to Savannah," Johnson said. "It wasn’t about them — but what they could do, They were willing to take this moment in history and redirect it to create more Nolan Smith Juniors in our city.
Johnson, a native of Brooklyn, said he is a diehard New York Giants fan and joked about how hard it was for him to cheer for the Eagles. But he said having Smith on the Philadelphia squad changed his perspective and he was rooting for the team during its playoff run. He said he will acquire a Smith No. 3 Eagles jersey, which he promised he would wear to a Giants/Eagles game next season.
Smith grew up playing in the youth leagues of Savannah and started his prep career with two seasons at Calvary Day, before transferring to IMG Academy, one of the nation's top high school programs based in Bradenton, Florida. He became the top prospect in the country and stayed true to his home state by signing with Georgia, where he was a standout edge on the Bulldog squads that won back-to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022.
But Smith never let the success get to his head and has has been giving back to Savannah each summer with a free football camp.
In the 2023 NFL Draft, he went in the first-round with the 30th pick to Philadelphia. And in his second professional season, he blossomed into a star for the Eagles with 42 tackles, including eight tackles for losses and 6.5 sacks to close out the regular season. The 24-year old came on strong in the three playoff games leading to the Super Bowl with four sacks, 16 tackles, four tackles for losses and three quarterback hits.
Smith had a pair of quarterback hits in the 40-22 win over Kansas City in the Super Bowl, where he tore his triceps in the first half but played through the pain to finish out the game. He had surgery in February and is in recovery now.
"It was just about determination and willing to put it all out on the line for the Super Bowl," said Smith, whose younger brother Cam'Ron Thompson is a star offensive lineman at Jenkins. "It's just like the people of Savannah and Philly, who are tough, hard nosed and work so hard. I mentioned in another interview about the people working in the ports here in Savannah and I could be doing something different like that instead of being blessed to be playing football — so I told them you’re going to have to kill me to take me off this field. I just love the game, I do this for the city of Savannah and my mom."
But instead of basking in the glory of his latest achievement, Smith wanted to use it as a tool to give back to his beloved hometown.
"A parade can only give you a glimpse of joy for a day, but I want to make my foundation something that’s never going to leave Savannah," Smith sad. "My goal is to send some kids from Savannah to college one day.
"When I was growing up in Savannah, I had my bike stolen, so another thing I wanted to do was give bikes away, and I told my Mama that one day we would do that. We gave 500 bikes away last year, and I want to give away 1,000 this year. So we want people to help out by donating to www.nolansmithfoundation.com."
It didn't take long for Smith to make good on his promise about helping local kids with college. At the end of the day, he announced that his foundation would provide scholarship help for golfers Quentin Brooks of Bethesda Academy, who has committed to Savannah State and Madi Saxton, who is headed to play for SCAD. Both had secured partial scholarships, and now Smith's foundation will take care of the rest of their tuition.
Johnson issued a challenge to the city of Savannah to help raise $20,000 for Smith's foundation during the month of April.
"This young man went to school, worked hard, sacrificed, loved his mama, remained disciplined to achieve his goals and then gave back," Johnson said. "And that’s really the formula. So we wanted to use that same formula, using his profile to create more Nolan Smiths.
"Kids may not listen to a Mayor, but they will listen to a Super Bowl champ. Today reminds me of what it’s all about, we have our challenges in the city," Johnson said. "But Savannah High won the state basketball championship, Savannah State won the SIAC championship and Nolan won the Super Bowl. We have a bunch of kids trying to get where he is. We know his beginnings and pedigree and he has shown them that there are no shortcuts to get to the top."
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at [email protected]. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Mayor Johnson honors Nolan Smith Jr. of the Eagles with Key to the City
Continue reading...
But Smith declined the offer, and suggested he could hold an event that would give back to his hometown in a more substantial way through his charitable foundation.
On Monday, Smith's idea came to fruition as he hosted the Nolan Smith Jr. Charity Golf Tournament at Southbridge Golf Club. There was a full field taking their shots on the course and a strong crowd afterward in the clubhouse as Johnson showed up to honor Smith with a Proclamation and the Key to the City.
"Nolan didn't want a parade, he and his mom wanted to be able to create an opportunity to support his foundation so he could give back through it to Savannah," Johnson said. "It wasn’t about them — but what they could do, They were willing to take this moment in history and redirect it to create more Nolan Smith Juniors in our city.
Johnson, a native of Brooklyn, said he is a diehard New York Giants fan and joked about how hard it was for him to cheer for the Eagles. But he said having Smith on the Philadelphia squad changed his perspective and he was rooting for the team during its playoff run. He said he will acquire a Smith No. 3 Eagles jersey, which he promised he would wear to a Giants/Eagles game next season.
Smith grew up playing in the youth leagues of Savannah and started his prep career with two seasons at Calvary Day, before transferring to IMG Academy, one of the nation's top high school programs based in Bradenton, Florida. He became the top prospect in the country and stayed true to his home state by signing with Georgia, where he was a standout edge on the Bulldog squads that won back-to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022.
But Smith never let the success get to his head and has has been giving back to Savannah each summer with a free football camp.
In the 2023 NFL Draft, he went in the first-round with the 30th pick to Philadelphia. And in his second professional season, he blossomed into a star for the Eagles with 42 tackles, including eight tackles for losses and 6.5 sacks to close out the regular season. The 24-year old came on strong in the three playoff games leading to the Super Bowl with four sacks, 16 tackles, four tackles for losses and three quarterback hits.
Smith had a pair of quarterback hits in the 40-22 win over Kansas City in the Super Bowl, where he tore his triceps in the first half but played through the pain to finish out the game. He had surgery in February and is in recovery now.
You must be registered for see images attach
"It was just about determination and willing to put it all out on the line for the Super Bowl," said Smith, whose younger brother Cam'Ron Thompson is a star offensive lineman at Jenkins. "It's just like the people of Savannah and Philly, who are tough, hard nosed and work so hard. I mentioned in another interview about the people working in the ports here in Savannah and I could be doing something different like that instead of being blessed to be playing football — so I told them you’re going to have to kill me to take me off this field. I just love the game, I do this for the city of Savannah and my mom."
But instead of basking in the glory of his latest achievement, Smith wanted to use it as a tool to give back to his beloved hometown.
"A parade can only give you a glimpse of joy for a day, but I want to make my foundation something that’s never going to leave Savannah," Smith sad. "My goal is to send some kids from Savannah to college one day.
"When I was growing up in Savannah, I had my bike stolen, so another thing I wanted to do was give bikes away, and I told my Mama that one day we would do that. We gave 500 bikes away last year, and I want to give away 1,000 this year. So we want people to help out by donating to www.nolansmithfoundation.com."
You must be registered for see images attach
It didn't take long for Smith to make good on his promise about helping local kids with college. At the end of the day, he announced that his foundation would provide scholarship help for golfers Quentin Brooks of Bethesda Academy, who has committed to Savannah State and Madi Saxton, who is headed to play for SCAD. Both had secured partial scholarships, and now Smith's foundation will take care of the rest of their tuition.
You must be registered for see images attach
Johnson issued a challenge to the city of Savannah to help raise $20,000 for Smith's foundation during the month of April.
"This young man went to school, worked hard, sacrificed, loved his mama, remained disciplined to achieve his goals and then gave back," Johnson said. "And that’s really the formula. So we wanted to use that same formula, using his profile to create more Nolan Smiths.
"Kids may not listen to a Mayor, but they will listen to a Super Bowl champ. Today reminds me of what it’s all about, we have our challenges in the city," Johnson said. "But Savannah High won the state basketball championship, Savannah State won the SIAC championship and Nolan won the Super Bowl. We have a bunch of kids trying to get where he is. We know his beginnings and pedigree and he has shown them that there are no shortcuts to get to the top."
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at [email protected]. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Mayor Johnson honors Nolan Smith Jr. of the Eagles with Key to the City
Continue reading...
