DeVonta Smith Books Return To The Super Bowl With Philadelphia

For the third time in the last four years, the Super Bowl will feature a Heisman Trophy winner and for the second time in three years, it will be 2020 trophy recipient DeVonta Smith.

Smith, now a grizzled four-year veteran, first helped the Philadelphia Eagles reach Super Bowl LVII in February of 2023, but they fell to Kansas City, 38-35.

Now Smith will get a second shot at helping the Eagles win their second Lombardi Trophy when they square off in a rematch against the Chiefs on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.

Smith’s fourth season in the City of Brotherly Love was another success despite battling injuries. He recorded 68 receptions for 833 yards — both second-best on the team — and a career-best and team-high eight receiving touchdowns despite missing four games with injuries.

In Philadelphia’s three postseason games, the former Alabama All-American is second on the team with 12 receptions for 121 yards.

That helped Smith set the Eagles franchise record for postseason receiving yards against the Rams last week. But the record stood for just seven days as teammate Dallas Goedert passed him against Washington. Goedert has 535 postseason receiving yards to Smith’s 526. 

Smith now has 308 career regular-season receptions for 4,011 yards and 27 touchdown catches. His 308 receptions are tied for 13th on the franchise’s all-time chart while his 4,011 career receiving yards rank 15th.

The list of Heisman Trophy winners who have played in the Super Bowl is modest and should the Eagles win, Smith will be welcomed into an even more exclusive group.

Smith will become just the sixth Heisman winner who has appeared in two or more Super Bowls, joining Roger Staubach, Mike Garrett, Tony Dorsett, Jim Plunkett and Charles Woodson. Only Staubach has appeared in more than two, playing in five for the Dallas Cowboys.

There has been a Heisman winner in 23 of the first 58 Super Bowls with 21 different players on Super Bowl rosters making a combined 29 appearances.  A combined 11 Heisman winners have won a total of 13 Super Bowls (Staubach and Plunkett being the only repeat winners).

Staubach quarterbacked Dallas in the Super Bowl in 1971, 1972, 1976, 1978 and 1979 while fellow Cowboy Dorsett joined him in the last two. 

The Cowboys won in 1972 and 1978, giving Staubach his pair of rings. Plunkett led the Raiders to titles in 1981 and 1984.

Garrett appeared for the Chiefs in 1967 and 1970 while Woodson played in the Super Bowl with the Raiders (2003) and the Packers (2011).

Should the Eagles win, Smith would join Dorsett, Marcus Allen and Woodson as the only Heisman winners to have also won a Super Bowl and a national championship in college.

Of those three, only Allen has also been named a Super Bowl MVP. Overall, four Heisman winners have earned Super Bowl MVP honors. Allen (1984), Staubach (1972), Plunkett (1981) and Desmond Howard (1997).

Smith’s seven receptions for 100 yards in his first Super Bowl appearance are both Heisman records. His 45-yard catch in the loss is also the most ever by a Heisman winner in the Super Bowl.

Allen and George share the mark for most touchdowns by a Heisman winner in the Super Bowl with two apiece.