Steve Smith Sr., the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver best known for his years with the Carolina Panthers, shared an emotional tribute to his late grandmother, Betty Smith, on Instagram this week. His post, filled with an old family photo of him and his grandmother, quickly drew an outpouring of support from fans and followers.

“I still haven’t recovered from losing you. Grandma, I miss so much,” Smith wrote in the post.

Smith wrote about the role his grandmother played in shaping who he became, while also crediting her with teaching him how to cook something as simple as eggs.

Smith has spoken about Betty before, making it clear that she was an important part of his life long before he became one of the NFL’s most recognizable wide receivers. He even once honored his grandma by writing her name on his special purple cleats, which he wore in the regular-season finale at Cincinnati.

This happened in 2016, when he wrote “Grandma Betty” among the people he honored on his final-game cleats, a sign of how much she meant to him.

The comments section filled quickly with people sharing their own memories of losing grandparents, alongside messages of support for Smith and his family. One fan focused on the bond captured in the photos themselves, writing simply that grandmothers carry a love unlike any other.

“Grandmommas are different. They are the true meaning of being and feeling LOVED. Sending my condolences and prayers 🙏.”

Another fan shared their own experience of loss, relating to Smith over a type of grief that doesn’t fade with time.

“❤️I haven’t had my grandparents in many years. Very fond memories. Great picture, Steve.”

One fan also spoke directly to the impact Betty Smith clearly had in raising the man so many have followed throughout his football career and beyond.

“She helped raise an awesome man and friend.”

Others simply offered brief, heartfelt words of comfort, a common thread across nearly all the responses to Smith’s post.

“Sending love and hugs. Grandma are the best 💖💖💖🕊️🙏🏿.”

Smith became known around the NFL for his fiery personality and competitiveness; his playing career is firmly tied to the Panthers. Carolina selected him in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft, and he went on to spend 13 seasons with the franchise before finishing his career with the Baltimore Ravens.

He earned five Pro Bowl selections and two first-team All-Pro nods over his career, finishing with more than 14,000 receiving yards between stints with the Panthers and Baltimore Ravens before retiring in 2017.

Since retiring, Smith has remained around the game as an NFL Network analyst. He is also a major part of Panthers history, with Carolina inducting him into its Hall of Honor in 2019.

Away from football, Smith has put plenty of time into giving back through the Steve Smith Family Foundation, which he and his wife, Angie, founded in 2013. This foundation initially focused on helping people affected by domestic violence.

From there, it has since expanded its mission to mental health and wellness, including services for underserved families in the Charlotte area. Work that has only added to the outpouring of goodwill fans expressed toward him this week.

For now, Smith’s tribute stands as a public reminder of the personal side of a public figure, one that resonated with fans well beyond the football world he’s spent most of his life in.