Throwback Thursday

“Back Then, It Was Just Football, Friendship… and Her.”

An interview with Dean Smith

“You ever try to tackle someone with a crush that could knock the wind out of you harder than any hit? Yeah… that was my Friday night routine in high school.”
—Dean Smith, Linebacker, San Antonio Outlaws

📍Hometown Glory | San Antonio, Texas
We caught up with Outlaws linebacker and heartthrob Dean Smith for a little trip down memory lane—back to the days when his jersey number still smelled like turf, his best friend was his rival, and the girl who lived next door didn’t even know she was wrecking him.

🗣 Q: When did you first fall in love with football?
Dean:
“Fourth grade. First hit. I was hooked. Coach told me I had a knack for reading the play before it happened. Guess I’ve always liked having a plan… even if life doesn’t always follow it.”

🗣 Q: What was high school football like for you?
Dean:
“Intense. Brett Thompson and I played on the same team—he was the flashy half-back, I was the guy clearing the way and shutting down runs. We fought, we bled, we celebrated like idiots. He was my brother before either of us realized it.”

beat

“But I was also busy trying not to make a fool of myself around his sister.”

🗣 Q: Wait—Dylan? Our Dylan?
Dean (smirking):
“Yeah. Dylan Marie Thompson. Oversized band shirts, frizzy hair she always tried to flatten before school, braces that caught the light when she smiled like it was some kind of spotlight just for me.”

🗣 Q: What was it about her?
Dean:
“She didn’t care about impressing anyone. She showed up to Brett’s games with her Walkman and sketchpad, more interested in drawing her shoes than the scoreboard. But I watched her anyway. Every time. She was chaos and kindness. And even back then, I thought… damn. She’s gonna ruin me someday.”

🗣 Q: Did she know?
Dean (grinning):
“Nope. Not then. She was off-limits. Best friend’s little sister and all that. But trust me, the feelings were loud. Louder than the Friday night crowd.”

📣 Next Week on Throwback Thursday:
The Falcons take flight with Nova Thorne—a crystal-carrying, sage-burning, plant-whispering free spirit raised by hippies. From accidentally smudging the locker room with palo santo before a game to the time she tried to align Mason’s chakras mid-road trip, her throwback is pure earthy, enchanting chaos. You won’t want to miss it.