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Jeremiah Smith had himself a day against Purdue on Saturday. He hauled in 10 receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown in Ohio State’s 34-10 victory. But it wasn’t the stat line that caught people’s attention. After finding the end zone, Smith broke out a celebration that sent college football Twitter into overdrive. He hit the iconic “Call God” gesture, mimicking holding a phone to his ear, a tribute that immediately sparked conversation. Landon Tengwall tweeted, “Did Jeremiah Smith just hit the OG Antonio Brown ‘Call God’ celebration?” and the answer was a resounding yes. What made the moment even more poignant was Antonio Brown himself responding to the tweet with “Respect @Jermiah_Smith1 #FREEAB.” He acknowledged the homage from a fellow Florida native who grew up watching him dominate. The connection between Jeremiah Smith and Antonio Brown runs deeper than just their shared Florida roots. This past weekend, prior to fall camp starting, Smith sponsored a youth football camp at Columbus Academy in Gahanna. In his interview with WBNS 10TV, Jeremiah shared about the NFL players who taught him to give back to the community, irrespective of how good your stats are. “I used to come back to the neighborhood and give back,” Jeremiah said during the interview. “Guys like Antonio Brown, Teddy Bridgewater, my cousins, [Geno] Smith, Andre Johnson, guys like that. So I’m just trying to be a role model just like them. So it’s been a blessing for sure.” ADVERTISEMENT Antonio Brown’s “Call God” celebration became legendary during his playing days, a signature move where he’d mimic talking on a phone after scoring touchdowns. Brown famously explained the gesture, saying, “Call God. In a time of crisis, all I ask is love, dedication and focus. Stay focused. The devil is going to try to bring you down.” For Jeremiah Smith to break it out on national television shows just how much Brown’s influence shaped him growing up in South Florida, where Brown played high school football at Miami Norland High School as a running back, quarterback, wide receiver, and punt returner. Given how the former WR has been a controversial figure since his time in Tampa, Smith risked possible sanctions with his celebration. ADVERTISEMENT To make matters worse, Brown was recently arrested in Dubai by U.S. Marshals on an attempted murder charge stemming from a May shooting outside a celebrity boxing event in Miami. According to the arrest warrant, Brown is accused of grabbing a handgun from a security staffer after the boxing match and firing two shots at a man he had been in a fistfight with earlier, with one bullet allegedly grazing the victim’s neck. Brown was extradited to New Jersey and chose not to contest extradition to Miami. Despite the serious allegations, Smith’s tribute highlights the complex reality of role models in sports. Brown’s impact on young athletes in his community came long before his recent legal troubles. And for kids like Jeremiah Smith, who watched him come back to the neighborhood and give back, those memories remain powerful. Smith isn’t endorsing Brown’s alleged actions. ADVERTISEMENT Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports The brotherhood behind the Heisman buzz Ohio State leads the brotherhood game. On Saturday, while the Buckeyes handled Purdue 34-10 to stay undefeated at 9-0, two stars showed why Columbus might be home to the most unselfish duo in college football. When your QB and WR are both in the Heisman race and still rooting for each other, that’s a different kind of dynasty. And that’s exactly what Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith did. 10TV’s Adam King shared the moment on X on November 8. Jeremiah Smith, asked about his Heisman chances, smiled and said, “No, that’s Julian Sayin trophy right there, the Heisman goes to Julian Sayin.” Seconds later, Julian Sayin returned the favor, saying the Heisman should go to “Jeremiah Smith… He’s a special player.” That’s culture. When players deflect glory like this, it’s a sign of something brewing far deeper than highlight reels. ADVERTISEMENT For Ryan Day’s crew, it’s not about who shines most, but how brightly they can shine together. “I think they have an edge to them. I think that that’s probably the biggest thing,” the HC said post-game. “Business like, they know what they want to get done. They have perspective. They’ve seen it, they know what it’s supposed to look like.” Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith may be passing the Heisman credit around, but outside that locker room, the campaign’s heating up fast.
