‘The one-hander!’ DeVonta Smith’s iconic fourth-down catch sparks the Eagles into the Super Bowl

Already rooted in his mind, DeVonta Smith didn’t need to think twice.

“Just get [bleeping] open, and make the play” the Eagles’ second-year receiver told himself.

When Smith noticed quarterback Jalen Hurts scrambling on fourth-and-3 during the opening drive of the NFC championship game between the Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, Smith broke off his route and attempted to create separation.

As Hurts faced pressure from a pair of pass rushers, he rolled to his left, and glanced downfield toward Smith, who had sneaked behind the Niners secondary, just slightly. Hurts threw across his body, heaving a prayer to his target. Upon his initial release, it appeared Hurts had overthrown Smith, and the drive was about to result in a turnover on downs.

No. 6 had other plans in mind.

Smith turned his head, twisted his body, fully extended his right arm, and he used every centimeter of his fingertips to haul in a jaw-dropping, 29-yard reception. Smith’s catch set up a scoring opportunity, and a couple of plays later, the Eagles jumped out to an early lead they would never surrender as they defeated the 49ers in a slugfest, 31-7, at Lincoln Financial Field.

“With Jalen, no play is dead,” Smith said. “You always have to stay alive. With his mobility, he’s always able to extend the play. So my mindset is always going to be to get open.”

As Smith tumbled to the ground, the FOX broadcast questioned whether or not he had completed the full motion of a legal reception. Niners coach Kyle Shanahan neglected to challenge the play, and the Eagles rushed into another snap. Two plays later, running back Miles Sanders scampered into the end zone.

“Any doubt, you just got to go ahead and rush and get into the next play,” Smith said. “We talk about it all the time, if you never know about a catch, get into the hurry-up.”

Added coach Nick Sirianni: “[That’s] football intelligence. Smart players do smart things, and he did a smart thing right there after making an unbelievable play.”

» READ MORE: Nick Sirianni’s fourth-down guts set the tone for the Super Bowl-bound Eagles

Shanahan claimed his coaching staff never received an ample amount of replays, which is why he was hesitant, and ultimately kept the red challenge flag inside his pocket.

“The replay we saw didn’t definitively show that,” Shanahan said. “We saw one up on the scoreboard. I wasn’t going to throw one anyways, just to hope to take the chance. But they showed one up on the scoreboard that didn’t have all those angles. That looked like a catch, and we didn’t want to waste a timeout.”

Optics aside, the still capture of Smith’s fully extended body will forever go down in franchise lore, and his reception stands firm inside the final game book. Smith finished with two catches and 36 yards, while Hurts attempted just 25 passes and completed only 15. Pitted against one of the league’s best run defenses, the Eagles relied heavily on the rushing attack, and their gutsy game plan catapulted them to a conference title and their second Super Bowl appearances in five seasons.

“From OTAs to training camp to now, all these guys came everyday and busted their ass,” Smith said. “Everybody around here is like family. Everybody knows this team won’t ever be the same. I’m cherishing this moment.”

When the Eagles traded up to select Smith with the No. 10 pick in the 2021 draft, they imagined the Heisman Trophy winner would come through for them in the biggest moments. In Year 1, Smith set a franchise record for receiver yards by a rookie. In Year 2, Smith finished with 95 regular-season receptions, which set another record for most catches by any receiver in franchise history. Paired with fellow wideout A.J. Brown, the duo represents a dynamic 1-2 punch atop one of the league’s most explosive offenses.

Later in the game, Smith served as the lead blocker on Boston Scott’s 10-yard rushing touchdown. On the play, Smith was aligned alone against defensive back Charvarius Ward on the right side of the field. Upon the snap, Scott swept to his right, and Smith (6-foot, 170 pounds) completely erased Ward (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) from the play, backing him into the end zone, where he’d soon celebrate with Scott and the rest of the offense.

“He’s always been a great blocker from the day he came in here last year,” left tackle Jordan Mailata said. “That’s the craziest part. Smitty has always been a great blocker. This year, he’s just being even more physical. He’s feeding off our O-line, and he wants to do the same. He’s a selfless player. When he needs to make a catch, he catches the ball. When he needs to block, that [bleeper bleeping] blocks.”

» READ MORE: Run the ball! Hit the QB! Eagles beat 49ers Philly-style, 31-7, to reach Super Bowl LVII

Zach Pascal, widely regarded as the team’s best blocking receiver, said: “It shows how unselfish he is. When we’re trying to win and we’re not thinking of ourselves, we can be very dangerous. He took that dude out the club!”

As for Smith’s early, tone-setting reception, Pascal said: “The one-hander! That [stuff] turned the whole team up.”

After the scoreboard read triple zeros, the Eagles celebrated on the field to the tune of Meek Mill’s, “Dreams and Nightmares.” Smith was joined by several family members and close friends, including long-time mentor Vincent Sanders, with whom Smith shares an offseason home in Tampa.

“I’m gonna cry, man” Sanders told The Inquirer from inside the LifeBrand home tunnel club. “He works hard and he deserves it. A lot of people don’t see the work that him and Jalen put in outside of the field.”

Sanders and Smith’s mother, Christina, jumped out of their seats after Smith hauled in his one-handed catch to kick off the title game. Sanders was so exuberant that he tumbled to the ground, which caused nearby fans to exert caution. Moments later, the Eagles scored on Miles Sanders’ rushing touchdown, and Vince Sanders was back on his feet cheering on his mentee and his teammates.

“The way he breaks down film, he knows when it’s time to scramble — it was on full display there,” Sanders said. “That’s just the grind. I see it daily. And he doesn’t take it for granted. He deserves it. Anything for the team, that’s Smitty, the slim reaper. I’m just happy for him.”

When the team’s celebration transferred from the confetti-filled field to the home locker room, players and coaches alike sparked victory cigars and posed for more photos with rap lyrics blaring on the speakers. Eventually, the music settled down, but the dancing and smiles lingered.

While several of Smith’s teammates huddled nearby and mapped out how they would celebrate the rest of their evenings, Smith pointedly told the group: “I’m taking my ass home!”

Such is the persona of a known homebody. Smith even hinted at wanting to rewatch the game with his family on Sunday evening upon their arrival to his home in South Jersey. Fresh off clinching a conference title, the two-time College Football Playoff championship winner with Alabama already had his sights set on the final stage.

“I thought I’d be feeling it more,” Smith said. “But the job’s not done yet. We’ve still got to go out there. We haven’t played our best ball. Hopefully the [Super Bowl] is when we put it all together.”