What piqued Jonnu Smith’s interest in returning to Miami, signing with Dolphins

It wasn’t too long ago that Jonnu Smith finished his offseason binge-watching of what was a popular show in sports circles: HBO’s “Hard Knocks: In Season” with the Miami Dolphins.

The series gave Smith a rare inside look into the personalities and dynamics of the Dolphins and a thought began to creep into his mind.

“I’m like, man, that’s awesome. You know, that’d be a special group to be part of,” the 28-year-old tight end said during an introductory news conference on Wednesday.

When the Atlanta Falcons released Smith in late February, Smith’s idea became more realistic. It became a reality when he last week signed a two-year deal worth $8.4 million that brought the West Port alumnus and former Florida International University star back to South Florida.

“I’m just excited to be able to play for a city in which I live, in which my family lives and be able to represent the city of Miami once again,” Smith said.

Smith was born and spent much of his early years in Philadelphia. But his mother, Karen, fearing the harsh nature of the city, sent the youngest of six to live with her sister in Ocala at the age of 15.

He attended West Port in Miami Gardens and became the first Division I player to come out of the football program, committing to FIU (University of Miami head coach Mario Cristobal led FIU at the time and his staff recruited Smith; they were fired after the 2012 season but Smith kept his commitment).

At FIU, he had a prolific career, finishing as one of the most accomplished pass-catchers in school history and being named a two-time All-Conference USA selection.

“I remember stepping on campus at 17 years old, not knowing nothing,” Smith said, “and kind of growing into my own, growing into a man during my four years at FIU. Obviously, it was a special place in my heart always because of the friendships that were built, the relationships with my teammates, the coaching staff and some of those guys are still around.

Smith was a third-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2017. He spent his first four seasons in Tennessee before signing with the New England Patriots and was traded to Atlanta after two seasons before his release in February.

His latest stop brings him back to a familiar area and a chance to contribute for a team that has reached the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.

Smith said his reasons for joining the Dolphins were “endless,” beginning with “the opportunity to go and win a world championship. I think adding me to this offense and to this system and to this team, I can be a solution to helping us to get to where we want to go.”

Smith could provide an upgrade and new dimension for a Dolphins offense that has rarely used the tight end position under head coach Mike McDaniel. Miami was the only team that did not have a tight end catch a touchdown pass last season. In the 2023 season, Smith appeared in all 17 games (six starts) and caught 50 passes for 582 yards, both career highs, as well as three touchdowns.

Smith spoke about being an “every-down player” and contributing in every situation. He called quarterback Tua Tagovailoa “one of the top quarterbacks in the league,” and said he’s “smiling from ear to ear” at the prospects of playing with wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

“Those two speed guys, some of the fastest guys in the NFL, if not the fastest, that’s going to cause so much havoc for the defense,” Smith said. “To be able to use those guys to my advantage, those guys are going to be able to open up space for me. And likewise, me as well, just adding another pass-catching element to this offense and being able to get those guys open more.

“We’re all going to make each other better, all going to play off each other. And ultimately, I’m sure those guys are team guys. I’m a team guy and I think it’d just be a great fit. I’m very excited and I’m looking forward to it.”

And from a macro-perspective, Smith’s low-cost and potentially high-value signing represents the kind of moves that could define the offseason — and 2024 season — as the team navigates the loss of multiple key contributors amid a tight salary cap situation.

“[I’m] excited about my fit in this offense, my role in this offense,” Smith said. “The sky’s the limit for what we’ll be able to do.”