DeVonta Smith Logs Another 1,000-Yard Season, Turns Attention To Playoffs

PHILADELPHIA – DeVonta Smith made his typical contortionist-style catch, rising above two Commanders defenders to seemingly freeze in the air until the ball hit his hands. The reception gained 27 yards and came on the final play of the first quarter.

Smith trotted to the sidelines. Congratulations for reaching 1,000 yards on that grab were in short supply from his teammates. What did he hear?

“They told me to get the hell out,” said Smith, after the Eagles’ backups dropped a 24-17 decision, which cost them the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.

The Eagles gave Smith an opportunity to reach 1,000 yards despite sitting most of their starters. The receiver needed just 44 coming in. He left with three catches for 52 yards. It was similar to the opportunity the Eagles gave Smith when he was a rookie. He had three catches for 41 yards in that season’s regular-season finale to break DeSean Jackson’s team record for most receiving yards in a season with 916.

Of this opportunity, Smith said, “I wouldn’t necessarily say just important, but just having a talk with Coach Nick (Sirianni), and he allowed me the opportunity to go out there and do it. I’m grateful.”

There wasn’t much to the conversation.

Smith said that his coach asked him if he wanted to play.

Smith said, “Yeah.”

DeVonta Smith's Milestone Catch

Smitty goin' UP pic.twitter.com/YRSrjUvqju
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 4, 2026

He added, “Definitely appreciate the relationship that we have. Sometimes it feels like him being the coach, he be wanting it more than us sometimes. It’s great when you have a coach like that to back you up to complete those milestones.”

Smith’s day ended with him topping 5,000 yards in his five-year career. With 5,119, he now ranks 10th in team history.

He is the fifth player in Eagles history to record three 1,000-pus yards receiving seasons, joining A.J. Brown (four), Harold Carmichael, Jackson, and Mike Quick. Smith is also the third-fastest to reach 5,000 yards, doing it in 80 games behind only Jackson (73) and Quick (74).

Smith has made the playoffs in all five seasons with the Eagles. As the No. 3 seed, the Eagles will open the playoffs next weekend at home against the San Francisco 49ers, who had two advance scouts in attendance at Sunday’s game.

“It doesn’t matter who we play,” said Smith. “We don’t care what the path is. Let’s just go out there and play our brand of football.”

Exactly what that brand of football on the offensive side will look like is anybody’s guess. Despite Smith’s 1,008 yards receiving this season, Brown’s 1,003 yards receiving, Saquon Barkley’s 1,140 yards rushing, and Dallas Goedert’s team-record 11 touchdown passes, the offense has been an inconsistent enigma all season.

“We’ll be all right,” he said. “We know what we gotta do. We know what’s at stake – it’s win or go home. Now, there’s no time for mistakes, and ‘we’ll get it next time.’ We gotta get it this time.”

More NFL: Rest Backfires For Eagles, Whose Backups Lose Chance At Two Seed