DeVonta Smith was feeling the love from fans as he handed out free McDonald’s: ‘I appreciate the support, always’
Even in his sixth NFL season, the star wideout's pregame breakfast order at Mickey D's remains unchanged.
Kaneka Dennis got off a 12-hour overnight shift Tuesday morning. Her first stop? McDonald’s. Her cashier? Eagles Pro Bowl wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
On Tuesday, Smith worked the morning shift at the McDonald’s on Kaighns Avenue in Cherry Hill. The Eagles’ top receiving option passed out free hotcakes and coffee to fans lined up around the restaurant. Smith also signed jerseys and miniature helmets, which were raffled to fans after the event.
» READ MORE: Now out of A.J. Brown’s shadow, is DeVonta Smith ready for his close-up?
“Just always good to be back in the community,” Smith said. “McDonald’s does a lot with the community with Ronald McDonald House and things like that. So to be a part of it is deeper than [that] — you know, people think it’s just fast food. But just being in the community, giving back.”
“It was great. Just coming out here seeing all the support that we as players have with the fans in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas.”
The wideout is a big fan of the fast food giant. In 2021, he made headlines after telling GQ that he eats McDonald’s before every Eagles home game. A creature of habit, Smith’s go-to order is the same as it was five years ago: a Chicken McGriddle, two hashbrowns, and a large orange juice.
Smith announced his partnership with McDonald’s last month on Instagram, writing he had given the brand “free promo for years,” so it was “time to make it official.” Cherry Hill McDonald’s owner and operator Kevin Smolar, a self-proclaimed “big Eagles guy,” noted that Tuesday’s event was “huge for our community.” Smith took time to pose with the location’s employees after finishing his shift.
“He’s a fan of the brand, and I’m a fan of him,” Smolar said. “It’s going to be a good day getting to hang out with him and hand out some breakfast.”
» READ MORE: What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 5 vs. the Jaguars
The scene outside McDonald’s was hard to miss, with midnight and kelly green coloring the parking lot. Some fans held signs to welcome the Eagles wideout. Others wished him good health, with one sign reading “Speedee Recovery Smith.”
Smith missed the Eagles’ Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams because of a lingering right hamstring injury. He is expected to miss two to three games.
Smith did not take questions about his injury designation. One fan hoping the “Slim Reaper” makes his return soon is Kevin Sonn. The recent Ursinus College graduate and Cherry Hill native saw the commotion outside McDonald’s while driving past. A quick ask to ChatGPT revealed that Smith had an appearance scheduled, he said. He ran home and grabbed his No. 6 jersey.
“He’s probably my favorite player,” Sonn said. “I’ve loved him since he was at Alabama.”
The love goes both ways.
“I appreciate the support, always,” Smith said. “These fans, they make it known that their heart’s in it.”
Different year, different offensive coordinator, yet still, it feels like Déjà vu all over again. The Eagles had little margin for error Sunday vs. the Rams because of injuries. They played hard despite being shorthanded, but in the end, couldn’t put the Rams away, mainly because of poor execution on offense. Why hasn’t Sean Mannion's scheme clicked? How culpable are head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts in the offensive rut the Eagles find themselves in? The Inquirer's Jeff McLane and David Murphy analyze the fallout from the 24-20 loss to L.A. Listen here.
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