Super Homecoming: Louisiana Natives Justin Reid, DeVonta Smith have big roles in Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl

by: William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor

They’re both on the biggest stage in professional sports in their home states, approximately an hour from the origin of their athletic journeys. 

When two-time reigning NFL World Champion Kansas City (15-2) faces Philadelphia (14-3) in the Caeser’s Superdome in New Orleans in Super Bowl LIX, Chiefs’ safety Justin Reid of Dutchtown High, and Eagles’ wide receiver DeVonta Smith of Amite High, will have their respective places in what’s evolved into a worldwide phenomenon. 

Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 CST and will be televised by Fox.

“It means a lot, a small town and there’s not a lot of people, so it’s always a blessing to be able to represent my city,” Smith said during Monday’s Super Bowl media event.

Reid joked that Kansas City’s quest to become the NFL’s first team to three-peat has become a costly endeavor with his family living in Geismar.

“We’ve got to win just for me to break even,” said Reid, who secured 30 tickets that have run as high as $4,000 apiece.

Each player from the winning Super Bowl team receives $171,000 after a nice payout of 131,000 combined from both Divisional and Conference Championship rounds.

Kansas City’s pursuit of a third straight Super Bowl coincides with a second matchup with Philadelphia in three years. The Chiefs, in Reid’s first season as a free agent signee, took a 38-35 victory over Smith and the Eagles in Glendale, Arizona.

“I’ve been playing in championship games my whole life,” said Smith, a two-time national champion at Alabama. “Literally, at every level of my life, I’ve played in a championship game. I just tell my teammates to be calm and to remember that at the end of the day, it’s just football.”

Smith last played in the Superdome during Amite’s clash against Lutcher in 2016 in the Class 3A state championship matchup, a game the Bulldogs won 40-36. 

He returns to the same building with heightened stakes with an organization trying to win its second Super Bowl since 2018.

“This is full circle for us,” said Amite football coach Zephania Powell, who coached Smith his final two seasons in 2015 and ’16. “For him to come back to Louisiana and play in a Super Bowl, we’re thrilled and excited.”

Benny Saia was the first coach hired when Dutchtown High opened and played its first season in 2002. He coached Reid from 2011-14, a player of interest from the Kansas City area where three different television stations sent crews for a look into Reid’s background in the Ascension Parish suburb of Baton Rouge.

“The whole Reid family is special,” said Saia, who also coached Justin’s older brother Eric, who starred at LSU and played in the NFL with San Francisco. “Those kids were not raised the way normal kids were raised now and the waythey handled themselves. They didn’t make a ‘B’ in school. They didn’t play if they made B’s. They were held accountable for all of their actions. They were a little more mature than the average 15-17-year-olds. It was because of their parents.”

Lending a hand in the player’s future

Both high school coaches played roles in their future players, latching onto football long enough to reach the NFL.

Smith, a 6-foot, 170-pounder, enjoyed playing basketball, averaging 23 points and 8 rebounds during his sophomore season. It was during that season when Smith suffered a broken clavicle and because of his passion for basketball, was uncertain of joining the football team after playing defensive back his freshman season under then-coach Alden Foster.

Powell, who previously coached at Jewel Sumner in Tangipahoa Parish, had revamped Amite’s rush-heavy offense to take advantage of the Warriors’ skill players through the passing game. 

“He wanted to focus on basketball,” Powell said of Smith, who also ran track.

Smith softened his stance toward football when Powell and Christopher Gordon, who had coached Smith as a freshman, shared their vision for the team’s offense. The possibilities were endless for Smith who would also be utilized in the running game in speed sweeps. 

“Not only was it important for DeVonta, but for myself to keep him interested and keep him coming back for football,” said Powell, who has coached Amite since 2009 and Class 3A Coach of the Year in 2016. “The things we were doing offensively kind of swayed him to come back out there. At Sumner, we aired it out with four wides (receivers) and were no-huddle. Coach Gordon’s relationship with him was also very helpful.”

Smith, a Class 3A All-State selection and District 7-3A Offensive MVP, evolved into a five-star recruit and one of the nation’s top receivers, and received scholarship offers from every Southeastern Conference school.

Powell said Alabama and LSU were the schools drawing the main interest for his commitment. Because of then-coach Nick Saban’s adaptation to more of a throwing offense under then-offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, now the head coach of the New York Giants, Smith preferred the Tide’s direction on offense.

He was also excited about the program’s top-rated recruiting class which also included quarterback Tua Tagovailova (now of the Miami Dolphins) and offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood (now of the Los Angeles Chargers).

By comparison, then-head coach Ed Orgeron had hired Matt Canada to run his offense, a position he held for a season before getting fired.

“Daboll was the offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots and that was a big sale because they (Alabama) would be doing the same things he did with Tom Brady,” Powell said of Smith. “He was sold on what they were going to be doing offensively.

“Smith’s a Louisiana boy, born and bred and he had conflicts with it,” Powell said. “In the end, he saw they were throwing the ball. When he looked at it, you compare that to the Patriots offensive coordinator, and I believe that’s what it came down to.”

Smith went on to enjoy a prolific career, helping Alabama to a pair of national championships, and winning the Heisman Trophy in 2020. 

Smith became the first wide receiver since Desmond Howard in 1991 to win the Heisman and fourth overall. He was also named the SEC’s Offensive Player of the Year, won the Biletnikoff Ward, Walter Camp Player of the Year award, Paul Hornung Award, and first-team All-American. 

He led the country in receptions (98), yardage (1,511), and touchdowns (17). He averaged 9.8 catches and 137.4 yards per game.

“I’ve had opportunities to coach some very good student-athletes,” said Powell, a 25-year coaching veteran with two stops in his home state of Mississippi. “When you know, you know (about his professional talent). They just move differently. You can tell if you’ve been coaching for a long time. You can see the differences in speed. He was moving more like a collegiate athlete compared to a high school athlete.”

Despite his older brother carving out his path at Dutchtown, Justin Reid was intent on playing only soccer.

That was until Saia, who had seen him play middle school football, paid him a visit once the school year began.

“He had great bloodlines (his father Eric Sr. was a national champion hurdler at LSU, his mother Sharon played in a women’s indoor football league, his brother Eric Jr. played in the NFL and Ryan played soccer at Maryland in the National Soccer Premier League in New Orleans). 

“I knew he could run because their dad trained them since they could walk,” Saia said. “His mental makeup was a little different than most kids. He was very goal-oriented and didn’t like losing or taking it like a lot of kids. He was very competitive.”

Reid reflected on the moment very favorably with the media this week.

“Coach Saia actually convinced me to play football,” he said, referring to Saia as one of his greatest influences. “I was playing soccer. He said I should come and try it out. My older brother was playing football. I gave it a go and ended up being pretty good at it. I ended up making an entire career and lifestyle out of it.”

Reid was part of a secondary at Dutchtown that all-up signed scholarships with the hard-hitting safety picking Stanford in part to be closer to Eric Jr., a member of the San Francisco 49ers.

“He wanted to go to LSU, and Notre Dame was also on him, but Eric was playing with the Niners, and he wanted to get close to him,” Saia said. “The Reids had a diary. They wrote down everything they ate, counted the calories. They were focused on getting to that level. Justin did everything he had to do and put himself in a position to make it happen. He’s blessed with talent and when you put those two things together, you’ve got a pretty good success rate.”

Collegiate standouts ready for the next level

Reid rose to prominence during his career at Standford where he was a first-team All-Pac 12 Conference choice in 2017. He compiled 170 tackles and six interceptions and declared for the NFL after this junior year.

“I don’t know if I predicted any of the five that went to the NFL would be in the NFL,” Saia said of Eric and Justin Reid, Landon Collins, Eddie Lacy, and Lloyd Cushinberry. “I knew they would be great college football players. I had never had a kid in the NFL. That’s kind of like icing on the cake. All of them had one trait but when your best player is your hardest worker, you’ve got something pretty special.”

Reid, who turns 28 on Feb. 15, was the fifth safety taken and 68th overall player in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans and signed a $4.06 million contract.

He started in 53 of 57 games for the Texans and recorded 304 tackles with seven interceptions with his best year coming in rookie year with 88 tackles, three interceptions (with a TD), and two fumble recoveries. 

Moreover, Reid earned the distinction of having the NFL’s third-longest interception return for a touchdown with a 101-yard return against Washington in ’18. 

Reid made a big splash in free agency, landing a 3-year deal in ’22 with Kansas City for $31 million with $20.48 of itguaranteed.

He’s played a big role in the Chiefs’ rise to NFL supremacy, starting in all 49 games during his career with 265 tackles – an average of 88 per season – with 23 passes defended and three interceptions.

During the team’s run toward a third Super Bowl title, Reid’s third on this year’s team with 87 tackles – including a season-high nine stops in wins over San Francisco and Baltimore – with nine passes defended and two interceptions. 

“The last two years I’m not so sure there’s a better in the safety in the NFL,” said Saia of Reid who has 580 career stops, 6 sacks, 46 PBUs, 10 interceptions, and 3 forced fumbles. “He’s a star. From what I’ve seen and watched, he makes plays and lots of them.

“There’s pride in that,” Saia said. “He’s brought a ton of spotlight on Dutchtown High School and Gonzales, Louisiana. That’s a big thing. That’s something I never dreamed I’d have someone playing in the Super Bowl, much less three of them.”

Smith catapulted his All-America career at Alabama – which included 235 receptions, 3,965 yards, and 46 TDs – into the No. 10 overall selection in the ’21 NFL Draft, going behind receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Jaylen Waddle. That led the product of Amite, a town of less than 4,500 people, to sign a contract for four years, worth $20,141.90 million guaranteed ($5 million-plus annually) with a signing bonus of $12,008.284 million.

“There were some other schools in that mold of throwing the ball all over the place,” Powell said of Alabama. “His quarterbacks were (current NFL quarterbacks) Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailova, and Mac Jones.”

Smith has distinguished himself in the NFL, becoming one of seven receivers with more than 175 catches, over 2,500 yards in receptions, and 15 touchdowns since ’22. He broke Philadelphia’s club record for the most catches (159) and yards (2,112) in the first two years by a receiver.

His career totals of 308 catches for 4,011 yards and 27 TDs – featuring a club record 95-catch season in ’22 -resulted in him signing a three-year extension in April with the team for $75 million with $51 million of its guaranteed. 

Despite missing four games this season, Smith leads the team with 90 catches and 954 yards with 8 TDs topped by an 11-catch, 109-yard effort with a score against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 27-13 win.

“It’s a testament to his greatness,” Powell said. “He’s not a big person. It’s all what’s on the inside. His heartbeat. He’s super tough. Everything that he’s getting, he truly deserves. Winning the Heisman, winning a couple of championships, getting drafted No. 10 overall, he’s in his second Super Bowl, a couple of 1,000-yard receiving seasons, he’s definitelyearned it.”

Thoughtful players off field

Dutchtown High had a special announcement waiting for Reid who was treated to a hero’s welcome in his hometown two years ago after Kansas City’s 38-35 Super Bowl LVII win over Philadelphia. 

Reid was feted with a parade in his hometown and later learned that he was going to be the first member of Dutchtown’s Hall of Fame. Saia, who coached the first 15 years of the school’s existence, joined Reid this past fall in the school’s hall of fame. 

“It’s neat to watch your former players have success, even if it’s just in life,” Saia said. “Just being a good dad, husband, and member of society. Justin’s won Super Bowls. How many great players never won a Super Bowl much less played in one? That’s a team accomplishment, but he’s a big part of that.”

With three different Kansas City television stations dispatched to New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl, they all believed making the one-hour trek to Ascension Parish was of paramount importance to look deeper into Reid’s background.

They all shared with Saia that Reid has been a positive influence in the Kansas City community with his non-profit organization and has been more than just a football player.

Saia wasn’t surprised a bit by the two-time Super Bowl champion.

“It’s a positive for the city, school, and Louisiana,” he said. “Justin deserves everything because he’s worked so hard to get where he’s at. He’s using football to contribute in a lot of ways. It goes back to the way he was raised.”

The down-to-earth Saia convinced reporters he intends to enjoy the big game in the same place he did a year ago – in his recliner at home.

Smith has also given of himself, both in the Philadelphia area and at home where he recently bought his mother a house.

The DeVonta Smith & Friends Celebrity Softball Game, hosted by the Philadelphia Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate Lehigh Valley IronPigs, has been a fundraiser that’s featured a number of Eagles players along with other NFL players from throughout the NFL.

Powell described a sea of Philadelphia green at Amite High this week where Eagles’ jerseys were prevalent throughout in the school’s support of Smith.

“We’re excited,” he said. “Our students, administration, and teachers are excited. It’s truly a blessing.”

It’s commonplace for Smith to return to campus where he can serve as a role model for 15-17-year-old athletes looking for a positive light.

Smith’s played in pick-up games on the same basketball court he did in high school, lifted weights in the same weight room, and conditioned on bleachers in the same stadium he once starred.

“The biggest thing he’s given is his time,” Powell said. “That means more than anything tangible to us and to our kids. When he comes in, it’s just for our kids to see him. They can see a guy that was in the same locker room, weight room, and on the same practice field as they are. 

“If he can make it, get a college degree, and get drafted, it’s an inspirational story for our kids,” Powell said. “For him to come home and give his time is super important for us. Time is the most important resource you have on this planet.” 

Because his wife’s a native of New Orleans, Powell expects his family to venture to the vicinity of the Superdome on Sunday to tailgate and enjoy the environment.

By the time the game kicks off, Powell will have retreated to his in-laws to watch with immense pride Smith taking part in the NFL’s biggest game where he’s in pursuit of his first team Super Bowl title.

“Everybody’s excited, everybody’s excited for DeVonta,” Powell said, “and it’s only going ramp up the closer we get to the game.”