The King in Black and Blue: Panthers Announce Monument to Steve Smith Sr., Immortalizing the Heart of the Carolinas
By The Charlotte Sports Desk
CHARLOTTE โ There are players who play for a franchise, and then there are players who become the franchise. For the Carolina Panthers, a team that has seen its share of highs and lows since its inception in 1995, one number has always signified more than just a position on the field. That number is 89.
On Wednesday morning, the debate about who sits atop the Mount Rushmore of Carolina football was effectively ended in bronze.
In a press conference that quickly shifted from a formal announcement to an emotional tribute, Panthers owner David Tepper confirmed that the organization has officially commissioned a grand statue of Steve Smith Sr. to be erected outside Bank of America Stadium. The monument will stand as a permanent guardian of the teamโs legacy, honoring the man who, for 13 seasons, defined what it meant to “Keep Pounding.”
A Proposal from the Top
The announcement came directly from David Tepper, who appeared visibly moved as he took the podium. While Tepperโs tenure as owner has been marked by changes and modernization, this move was a deep bow to history.
“We talk a lot about culture in this building,” Tepper said, his voice steady but heavy with emotion. “But you cannot manufacture the kind of fire that Steve Smith Sr. brought to this city. He wasn’t just a wide receiver. He was a gladiator. He represented the grit, the fight, and the underdog spirit of every fan in the Carolinas. It is time he stands in front of our house forever, because, in many ways, he built it.”
Tepper described the statue not merely as a likeness of a player, but as a “symbol for an entire generation.” It is intended to capture the intensity of a man who, standing only 5-foot-9, played as if he were 10 feet tall.
The 20 Messages That Stopped the Room
However, the most poignant moment of the press conference wasn’t the unveiling of the concept artโit was the story of the acceptance.
Tepper revealed that after he privately broke the news to Smith regarding the statue, he expected a typical, cool “Agent 89” responseโperhaps a witty remark or a stoic nod. Instead, the ownerโs phone began to buzz. And it didn’t stop.
“Steve didn’t just say ‘thanks,'” Tepper shared, holding up his phone. “He sent me twenty messages. Twenty. One after another.”
The owner described a cascade of texts that peeled back the layers of the notoriously tough receiver. In those twenty messages, Smith poured out a careerโs worth of gratitude, reflecting on his journey from a third-round draft pick out of Utah to a potential Hall of Famer. He spoke of the chip on his shoulder that never went away, the love for the fans who defended him, and the overwhelming weight of being immortalized in the city where his children grew up.
“I sat there reading them, and Iโll admit, I teared up,” Tepper confessed. “To see a man that fierce be that vulnerable… it told me we were doing the right thing. It deeply moved me.”
A Legacy Carved in Stone
For the fanbase, this news is the catharsis they have been waiting for. Steve Smith Sr. is the franchise’s all-time leader in touchdowns (67), receiving yards (12,197), and receptions (836). But stats have never told the full story of No. 89.
Smith was the emotional engine of the 2003 “Cardiac Cats” Super Bowl run. He was the Triple Crown winner in 2005, dominating the league in a way no receiver has since. He was the man who told opponents to “Ice Up, Son,” and backed it up with bruising physicality that terrified defensive backs.
“He played angry, and we loved him for it,” said Marcus Greene, a season ticket holder since 1996. “When Steve was on the field, you felt like you had a chance to win, no matter the score. A statue is the least they can do. He is Carolina.”
The Design of a Legend
While the final design is still under wraps, speculation is already running rampant among the “Roaring Riot” fan group. Will the statue depict his famous “X-Clown” touchdown run against the Rams? Will it be the image of him spinning the ball after a catch? Or will it be his signature stiff-arm, a warning to anyone who dared get in his way?
Tepper hinted that the statue would capture “the energy” of Smith. “It won’t be a passive pose,” the owner joked. “Steve never stood still in his life. The statue needs to look like itโs about to run through a brick wall.”
A Forever Home
The relationship between Smith and the organization hasn’t always been perfect. His departure in 2014 was a painful wound for the city. But time, and gestures like this, have healed those scars. Smith has returned to the fold in recent years as a broadcaster and ambassador, but this statue cements his status as the eternal face of the franchise.
As the news broke, social media platforms flooded with highlights of Smithโs careerโthe fights, the touchdowns, the passion. Fans expressed profound admiration not just for the player, but for the ownership group for recognizing the importance of history.
“This brings us together,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Weโve had hard seasons recently. But looking at that statue? That reminds us of who we are.”
When the tarp is eventually pulled off the monument outside the stadium, it will reveal more than just bronze and concrete. It will reveal the story of a man who was told he was too small, too slow, and too loud, and who responded by becoming too great to ever be forgotten.
Steve Smith Sr. may have hung up his cleats years ago, but thanks to this gesture from David Tepper and the Carolina Panthers, Agent 89 will never truly leave the building.
