Former Tennessee Vol and two-time Super Bowl Champion Trey Smith was honored before and during Monday’s episode of WWE: Monday Night Raw from Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center.
Back in February, Smith’s heroic actions were documented as he comforted and protected a young boy during the shooting at the Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade. Smith told Good Morning America in February that after the shots had been fired and the chaos ensued, he found the boy, Joey Borgonzi, and escorted him to safety. The boy was understandably shaken up, but the former Vol found common ground with him through the sport of professional wrestling. Smith and Borgonzi talked about their favorite wrestlers as first responders worked hard to clear the scene.
“I had the WWE belt on me the entire parade,” Smith said in the interview with Good Morning America. “And I was thinking about what I can do to help him out. So I just handed him the belt. ‘Hey buddy, you’re the champion. No one is going to hurt you. No one is going to hurt you, man. We’ve got your back.’”
Smith and Borgonzi’s story brought them to Wrestlemania XL on April 6 in Philadelphia, but WWE was sure to give them a moment in their own city as well.
Before the cameras started rolling for Monday’s show from Kansas City, WWE honored Smith, Chiefs’ lineman Creed Humphrey, Borgonzi, and the Kansas City first responders in the ring with a big tribute. The video of the pre-recorded segment made its way to air during the first hour of the program on Monday.
Smith and Humphrey hoisted the young boy on the shoulders and carried him around the ring, letting him soak in an unforgettable moment.
In a very special and emotional moment, WWE celebrated @creed_humphrey & @treysmith of @Chiefs, Joey Borgonzi and Kansas City first responders live at @TMobileArena prior to the start of #WWERaw. pic.twitter.com/hOO6jYGAyu
— WWE (@WWE) April 30, 2024
A very special moment for Kansas City, the @Chiefs and Joey Borgonzi tonight on #WWERaw live from @tmobilecenter. pic.twitter.com/gKkHqEmqCj
— WWE (@WWE) April 30, 2024
As the show went on, though, Smith was seen again.
This time with a little bit more of a “kayfabe role”, or part of the storytelling for the show.
When WWE United States Champion Logan Paul needed some assistance, he turned to Super Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the front row. Mahomes gave Paul his three Super Bowl rings to use as brass knuckles in the ring.
But when WWE wrestler Braun Strowman showed up and foiled Paul’s plans, the 6-foot-8, 386-pound wrestler turned his attention to the Chiefs’ quarterback for giving Paul the illegal weapon.
Strowman, a man who looks like a lineman through and through, slowly approached Mahomes at ringside. That’s when Smith and Humphrey stood up out of the chairs, flanking Mahomes on both sides, to protect their quarterback.
For the sports film fans out there, it was very reminiscent of the scene in The Replacements where Faizon Love and Michael Taliferro’s linemen characters protected Keavu Reeves’ quarterback character from the evil opposing figures.
The former Tennessee Vol stood his ground and deterred Strowman from making a move on Mahomes. Check out Smith’s segment from WWE’s YouTube below.
“QB1 is off limits,” Smith wrote on X after the event.
QB1 is off limits 😤😤 pic.twitter.com/4kQSgOSmQ7
— Trey Smith (@treysmith) April 30, 2024
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