Nothing about this next statement should come as a surprise. We, at Inside The Iggles, absolutely love DeVonta Smith. He's taken time out of his bye week to allow us a one-on-one interview. He's been kind. Let's not even get into what he does as a Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver when he steps on the field and locks in for another game day.
It's probably one of the most overstated angles ever mentioned now at this point, but we're still baffled at how he does what he does when he's the owner of a 170-pound frame. Believe it or not, the Slim Reaper is often still asked about his physique. We most recently heard such on 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony.
DeVonta Smith opens up for an all-access chat with NBA legend Carmelo Anthony
Yeah... We know... We know... At this point, there are so many podcasts, the natural reaction is often to tune them all out. The game has just gotten oversaturated.
Every once in a while, you come across something that raises the antenna. Check that box for the recent episode of the Wave Podcast Network's 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony, one where he welcomed DeVonta Smith.
Smitty doesn't speak much. Those Mic'd Up moments are pretty funny. Often, however, he's rather reserved when it comes to being interviewed, so it was nice to see him open up to share his thoughts on his bond with Jalen Hurts, the Eagles' championship run, that slim frame of his, and, of course, those zany and fanatical Birds fans.
Here are some of the highlights of DeVonta Smith's interview with Carmelo Anthony!
Remember those 'run the ball' chants aimed at Nick Sirianni?
One of the things that probably doesn't get discussed enough was A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith's unselfishness this season. Saquon Barkley was on a tear, and Kellen Moore and company leaned on a run-first offense. That meant A.J. and Smitty weren't given the amount of opportunities they were used to seeing before Saquon's acquisition.
DeVonta Smith:
“So, the fans, they be real life chanting like run the ball, run the ball. So Nick [Sirianni], he over there, I hear you, I'm going to run the damn ball.
He arguing with the fans, we just sitting here. Well, when they start doing that he listened to him and he run the ball and then the run game was working, so it was like yeah, know what type of day this going to be.
We just take it for what it is, man, we got to run the ball. I'm cool with it. But it's just like the fans, they really have an influence somewhat I would say during the game they have an influence on what's going on really but that's part of the game though, when the passing game not working, run the ball and I agree with him at that time…”
DeVonta on his relationship with Jalen Hurts
How does a run-heavy offense affect the dynamic between star wide receiver and QB1 you ask? Don't worry. Smitty and Jalen are just as tight as ever.
Smith:
“I think it's a respect thing though. It's a relationship with you and the coaches, the quarterback and things like that. I think all of us have this relationship and I know with us everybody be like, oh we don't like each other and stuff like that but really we really do and when we talk to each other like that, we feed off each other's energy.
Jalen love when we come to him like, hey bro, he can't see me, throw me the ball over here. Jalen love that and people think that it's us getting on him when it's not. We just having this conversation like bro, he can't do nothing with me. Let's get to it and he right there ready for it”
DeVonta Smith on the continued discussions about his size
Well, they had to discuss the Slim Reaper persona, right? Here's what DeVonta said on that front.
"I wouldn't say that pushes me, not people outside people's fans of stuff that's watching, but I would say if I'm on the field, somebody say something, I don't talk on the field…
So, I would say once somebody on the field, say something or try to little boy me, that's probably when I really think about like, alright, I got to show the (expletive)”
DeVonta Smith shares when he knew the Eagles were going to win the Super Bowl
DeVonta is off to one of the best starts by an Eagles wide receiver in franchise history, and now, look! He has some hardware now to show for it. He knew, as Super Bowl 59 unfolded, that the Kansas City Chiefs were in for a long day. Melo and co-host Kazeem Famuyide couldn't let the Reaper leave without asking him about that, right?
Smith: “I kind of knew it– the way the defense was playing, it was just like…”
(Kazeem Famuyide interjects): “Lights out”
Smith:
“...the whole game... I been calling for the play, but I had a hamstring issue. They were like, we don’t want to mess up your hamstring. So, the whole game I'm calling for it then when they called it they was like, go get…this it, and i was like well, y’all saved the best play for last–went out there ran it and when I see the safety come down, I was like, oh yea, when I seen the ball now, I was like, it’s wrapped, it’s over with.”: “Lights out”.
Again, we know you're sick of podcasts. Frankly, we all are, but this is 90 minutes well spent if you're interested. Smith enters year five this coming season. We're expecting great things from Philly's star. He hasn't let us down yet.