For Kirby Smart, 2025 was all about new beginnings. Unfortunately, on New Year’s eve, that hope turned into despair. As the Georgia Bulldogs coach was preparing for his team’s Notre Dame clash at the Caesars Superdome, a phone call rattled him…

The news was about his father, Sonny Smart. The 76-year-old had reportedly fallen down while on a walk on New Year’s Eve in New Orleans, and fractured his hip. He was immediately rushed to the Ochsner Medical Center. A frequent presence on the field during his son’s games, the update was unlike anything the HC could ever imagine. Mr. Smart was not just a father to Kirby. He was a friend, philosopher and guide.

“I give a lot of credit to my father, who was my first coach. And I grew up under his tutelage, and he meant a lot to me as a coach…He’s taught me so much just about the way you handle things, the right way, the wrong way. Control the controllables. The moment’s never too big if you’re prepared. And I always watched the way he prepared our teams and our staff in high school. He was a very wise man, a man of few words. I tried to follow his mantra as a coach,” Smart had said last year.

For the unversed, Sonny Smart is a hallowed name in the football community. He used to play football at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, before becoming a high school coach at Holtville High School. During his coaching career, he served as both an offensive and defensive line coach, as well as the head baseball coach at Holtville, leading them to a state title in 1982. Notably, he was also his future HC son’s first coach. After moving his family to Bainbridge, Georgia that same year, he took on the role of head football coach at Bainbridge High School from 1988 to 1994—where Kirby played as a safety.

The veteran also coached at Rabun County High in north Georgia from 1995 to 2003. Having said that, his influence on Kirby cannot be overstated. The values and skills that Kirby learned from his father laid the foundation for his successful coaching career. And now, with Sonny being such a key figure in Kirby’s life, it’s clear that family means everything to them. “I’ve certainly evolved from going to coach for other people, but a lot of my core beliefs came from the way he ran our programs in high school,” the Bulldogs’ coach had said.

Despite his old age, Sonny made it a point to travel to the Bulldogs’ home games with his wife, Sharon. He was there in South Bend when Kirby celebrated the Bulldogs’ upset win in 2017, marking a turning point for the program after Kirby’s tough first season. He also witnessed Kirby lead Georgia back to national glory last year, and he was there for the SEC Championship win over the Texas Longhorns just last month. Undeniably, Smart’s dad has played a huge role in shaping him into the coach he is today.

Unfortunately, with old age catching up, Sonny Smart’s life has taken an unexpected turn. Hopefully, he’ll recover soon to make his presence at Sanford University known again…But before that, let’s look at what exactly happened on December 31.

Why will Kirby Smart’s dad not attend the Sugar Bowl?

On December 31, Kirby received some alarming news: his father, Sonny Smart, had suffered a fall outside his hotel in New Orleans and was rushed to the hospital. Sonny’s injury raised immediate concerns, especially since he was expected to undergo hip surgery. Still, it added a heavy weight to an already tense situation for Kirby and the Bulldogs as they prepared for their big game.

Sonny gave a text message update: “I’m doing OK.” He added, “But we were not comfortable making the trip so soon after heart problems. Old age and high mileage take a toll.” Sonny has been there through thick and thin, including last year’s national championship run.

Kirby echoed those sentiments, admitting it hurt him that his parents wouldn’t be there for such an important game and adding, “Nothing worse than watching your parents grow old. It’s like taxes; it’s inevitable. They’re going to get old. And that’s been tough.” Right now being a Bulldogs fan is tough but one thing is clear: family means everything in sports.