Sonny Smart, father of Georgia Bulldogs head football coach Kirby Smart, passed away on January 4, 2025, at the age of 76. His death resulted from complications following hip surgery necessitated by a fall in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve.
A respected figure in high school sports across Alabama and Georgia, Sonny Smart played college football at Samford University before dedicating his career to coaching football and baseball. Notably, he coached his son, Kirby, at Bainbridge High School in Georgia. Kirby Smart has often credited his father for instilling foundational coaching principles, stating in 2023, “He’s taught me so much just about the way you handle things, the right way, the wrong way.”
The Smart family was in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl, which was postponed to January 2 following a tragic incident on Bourbon Street. Kirby Smart spent part of New Year’s Day at the hospital with his father and returned after Georgia’s 23-10 loss to Notre Dame.
Sonny Smart is survived by his wife, Sharon, and their three children: Karl, Kirby, and Kendall. The family expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Ochsner Medical Center staff for their exceptional care and requested continued prayers for those affected by the recent tragic events in New Orleans.