Philly artist Jordan Spector recreates DeVonta Smith’s ‘Dagger’ in his latest Immortals series
Spector and Smith partnered to create a new trading card that immortalize the receiver’s 46-yard touchdown play in Super Bowl LIX.
Philly artist Jordan Spector was among the thousands of fans crowded inside Caesars Superdome for Super Bowl LIX to witness history. Although the Eagles took an early 27-0 lead, it wasn’t until the third quarter when Spector realized another Lombardi Trophy would make its way to Philadelphia.
With 2 minutes, 40 seconds left in the quarter, Jalen Hurts found DeVonta Smith in the end zone. The 46-yard touchdown pass, dubbed “The Dagger,” gave the Eagles a 34-0 lead.
“I was just like, ‘Wow, we’re really about to win this game,’” Spector said. “That truly felt like the dagger. Once that play happened, it was pretty much game over.”
Fast-forward four months later, and Spector and Smith have paired up to immortalize the play in a trading card for Spector Sports Art’s Immortal Series. Spector first reached out to Smith about the project in March.
“He loved [the idea],” Spector said. “That’s clearly one of his top three catches. So, to be able to immortalize that moment is definitely exciting. He’s into it, and I think at this point he trusts my vision with the creativity from past projects I’ve done.”
The wide receiver has listed “The Dagger” among the top three catches of his career. The others just happened to be against an NFC East rival.
“The other two would be two catches against Washington,” Smith said. “There’s been a lot of them.”
Spector and Smith have a unique relationship, dating back to before Smith was drafted by the Eagles in 2021. While he was still in college, Smith reached out to Spector on Instagram for a painting the West Chester native made of the receiver in his Alabama gear.
Since then, the two have stayed in contact, and Smith has three of Spector’s pieces in his home, including the Alabama piece and two pieces from his celebrity softball games. He also has one picture with A.J Brown inspired by the iconic LeBron James and Dwyane Wade alley-oop celebration.
“I was super excited [when he first reached out],” Spector said. “To this day, he’s still the same guy. Down-to-earth, normal. That’s all I can hope for in somebody that is that high caliber of an athlete as he is.”
The series will feature 11 variations, including 99 cards that are signed by Smith. But the rarest variation is a one-of-one, all-gold foil version. It also will feature different packaging with a new drawer slider feature. The series released on Thursday, just in time for Smith’s fourth annual celebrity softball game on Saturday at Allentown’s Coca-Cola Park.
“I wanted to get this out fast because the excitement behind it and the main timing of it all coexists with his celebrity softball game,” Spector said. “It was very purposeful to have it released with his softball game because we’re a vendor there and we’re going to have the cards available.”
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“The Dagger” is the latest in the series. The 33-year-old artist included Brandon Graham’s strip-sack from Super Bowl LII, which was released in 2024. Since Spector worked on his first trading card project in 2023, a Brian Dawkins card, the process has improved.
“Any of our customers who have collected from the beginning of that first project to now can tell you that it’s grown,” Spector said. “The experience and the quality of the box, from the card to the finer details of how many different variations are in the project.”
Fans can order the card online for $40.
“This is a unique product and a unique experience,” Spector said. “It’s a little different than other trading card products that are out there. And for me it’s a totally new way to appreciate the art [as] opposed to a canvas or a mural.”