Packers tight end Jonnu Smith #18 is the subject of a new documentary for NFL films.
Source: Photo by Mike Clemens
NFL Films is working on documentary about Packers tight end Jonnu Smith, his brother’s incarceration and their upbringing
Sep 1, 2026, 7:48 PM CT
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One of the new tight ends for the Green Bay Packers will be the subject of an NFL Films documentary.
The story revolves around Jonnu Smith, who signed with Green Bay over the weekend, and his older brother, Wayne Smith, who was released from prison in July after serving 16 years for a fatal 2010 street fight in his native Philadelphia that resulted in the shooting death of David Dial.
Jonnu told team reporters on Sept. 1 that his upbringing and his brother’s incarceration will be laid out in a documentary for NFL Films.
“They’ve been following me for the past couple months,” he said.
While evaluating free agency options, Jonnu held a community fundraiser in Philadelphia on his birthday, Aug. 22, for his foundation. The Nu Family Foundation provided free backpacks and school supplies while offering entertainment for students.
“My brother just got released July 18th out of (prison). This was the first foundation event that he would be at,” Jonnu said.
Jonnu spent last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was released in March. The 31-year-old decided not to sign with a team until just days before the season. But the break from football allowed him an opportunity to focus on his hometown and community.
“It was one of the best events … I’ve had for my foundation,” he said. “Just being able to do things that I wasn’t typically able to do because of training camp.
“I said I want to do something different. … Let me put football on hold right now. Obviously football is an important part of my life, but it’s not my life. For me to be able to go back and provide resources for these kids, put them in a position to have the most success they can during the school year and kind of give them a jump start.”
Born and raised in North Philadelphia, Jonnu was sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Florida when was 14 years old for his own safety following recently deadly events involving friends and family, and after Wayne’s arrest. Jonnu’s mother, Karen, decided it was best for Jonnu to move out of Philly.
While in Florida, Jonnu discovered a whole new world and attended high school at a place that valued football, beginning a career that has led him to Green Bay in his 10th season.
“Florida is the hotspot for high school football. So that’s where football took off for me,” he said.
Jonnu was drafted in the third round in 2017 by the Tennessee Titans. He’s also played for the New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins and the Steelers. His standout season came in Miami, racking up 88 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns. His play earned him a Pro Bowl nod in 2024.
The Packers expect big things from the starting tight end, Tucker Kraft, but Jonnu is one of five tight ends in the mix in Green Bay.
Drake Bentley is the general assignment reporter for the Milwaukee Courier, covering politics, sports and the community. He is an award-winning investigative journalist who has worked for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin State Journal, Newsweek, Heavy and The Sporting News. He is a northside Milwaukee native, former political staffer and graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and the University of Nebraska.
Mike Clemens is a veteran Wisconsin sportscaster who has spent decades covering the Packers, Brewers, Bucks and Badgers from press boxes, sidelines and locker rooms across the country. A longtime contributor to SiriusXM NFL Radio, the Wisconsin Radio Network, The Bill Michaels Show and Civic Media, Clemens has covered more than 20 Super Bowls, two Packers championships and the Brewers’ 1982 World Series appearance.
