When DeVonta Smith returned from his honeymoon this summer, the members of The Breakfast Club were burning with curiosity.

The trainers and players with whom Smith trains in the offseason earned that nickname because of Smith’s insistence on the early-morning lifting sessions that have become ritual over the last six years. To them, the idea of Smith on vacation was bizarre.

Did he even know how to relax?

They saw pictures of Smith and his wife, Mya Danielle, visiting the Eiffel Tower, driving a boat along the Italian Coast, lounging on a beach chair in St. Tropez and paddle boarding in Greece. And they knew, deep down, there must have been a small part itching to get back to the sweltering heat in Tampa to run routes during the hottest part of the afternoon.

“The coaches were asking him if he could stand it,” Smith’s longtime trainer Yo Murphy said in a phone interview. “They thought he’d be allergic to hanging out for that much time. … Everyone was talking shit to him because we knew he wasn’t training like he wanted to on that honeymoon. So all the players were giving him shit about if he was going to be behind.”

“He got a little bit of trash talk, rightfully so, because that’s just how stoic he is around everyone,” Murphy added. “So they love giving him crap.”

Over the last six years training with Murphy, Smith has seldom been anywhere but ahead of the pack. The two have developed a regimen that’s as meticulous as any NFL player’s Murphy has come across. Smith is the one who has progressively pushed the start time of workouts earlier and earlier over the years.

Smith’s offseason dedication is so respected within the Eagles organization that past absences from voluntary spring sessions have been non-issues. They know no one is working harder. It’s a key reason for the confidence the Eagles have in Smith to enter the conversation as one of the league’s best receivers now that he no longer shares the wide receiver room, or the targets, with A.J. Brown.

Dating back to the spring, there has been palpable internal enthusiasm for what Smith can become in new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s scheme. The 27-year-old has yet to surpass the 100-catch mark in his career mostly spent as the “1B” to Brown’s “1A.” How productive can he be if he starts getting thrown the ball more often?

According to TruMedia, Smith ranked 12th in target share last year at 24.4%, while Brown finished 10th at 26.1%.

But what if that number were closer to the 30% mark Jaxon Smith-Njigba surpassed last season (35.8%) and Puka Nacua approached (28.5%) in similar schemes geared around a play-action passing game that funnels targets to versatile pass catchers.

Those close to Smith believe he’s ready for that workload.

Actually, those close to Smith know he’s been not so patiently waiting for this.

“Smitty fools everybody with this quiet, chill demeanor,” Murphy said. “Inside, there’s the heart of a diva receiver banging in his chest saying, ‘I want the ball, every time.’ I think he’s got a maturity and a respect for the team, so he goes out there just lunchpail and does the job. Whatever they’re going to ask him, he’s going to be in a position to execute it and do it. But he’s not lacking one ounce of confidence. Whatever anyone says about his body, he feels he’s 6-foot-5, 280.” 

Eagles wide receiver coach Aaron Moorehead added, “I think he’s always seen himself as a [No.] 1. And I think in this building we’ve always seen him as a one. You just had another guy that was a one. So for him, I think that he feels like it’s just his time.”

The Breakfast Club

The cast of NFL players who train with Smith has changed over the years, as has the start time for the morning lift.

After a progressive move up from the original 6:30 a.m. start time, Murphy said he’d typically get to the facility at 5:00 a.m. and see Smith’s car already parked outside. Murphy bumped it up a little earlier, and then a little earlier, but Smith’s taillights would still be there to greet Murphy as he pulled into the lot each day.

“I used to get there right around 4:40,” Murphy said, “but now I show up there a little bit early because he’s just who he is.”

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