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 ...
