CHARLOTTE — Steve Smith Sr. spent a lifetime on the field making memories here.

And now, he's devoting his time to making a difference in the city he calls home.

Smith was named the 2024 Panthers Legend of the Year Friday in honor of his work in the community and his involvement in alumni affairs for the team.

Panthers director of Legends affairs Jeremy Kelley presented Smith with a $5,000 community grant to apply to the effort of his choosing — of which Smith has many.

"Throughout the calendar year, Steve's presence, intentionality, and unwavering call-to-action can be seen and felt throughout the city of Charlotte in many capacities," said Jeremy Kelley, Panthers director of Legends affairs. "From large-scale endeavors, such as The Smith Family Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC), which provides mental health and substance use disorder services for individuals experiencing a crisis, to donation efforts and pop-ups in collaboration with local businesses.

"His resilience and consistent commitment to put others first and serve those in need is worthy of such recognition."

The Steve Smith Family Foundation focuses on the mental health and wellness of families and underserved communities here in Charlotte and the surrounding areas. Since its inception, his foundation has raised more than $4 million to support community programming and initiatives here.

Smith played his first 13 seasons with the Panthers and said he truly appreciated how to embed in his community during his three years with the Ravens, when players such as Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones, and Ed Reed and Ray Lewis would invite him along to events, but would tell him, "but understand this isn't your city."

So when Smith got back to his, he knew he wanted to invest back in the place that had given so much to him.

"I always say this is my city, right?" Smith said. "And I say this is my city, when I came here 20-something years ago. And now I get to see how the city is growing, and I'm growing with it."

Smith has remained involved with a number of initiatives here, including serving as an ambassador for the NFL's domestic violence prevention efforts, teaming up with WSOC for their Coats For Kids Drive, his Rally for Mental Health pickleball tournament, meal distribution efforts, and many more events.

Of course, Smith's not the kind to do anything halfway, and his fingerprints are on every aspect of his foundation's work — down to personally choosing art and motivational materials for the walls in the offices.

On the wall near the front entrance of their offices is a poster with the simple message "Stay Curious," which has been a hallmark of Smith's post-playing days, as he works in broadcasting and a number of other areas.

"I have a fantastic team that I've been able to work with who also keeps me in line and says, 'hey, we need you to do this, or we need you to show up here'," Smith said. "And I get little chances like purchasing our portraits and kind of keeping myself involved in it.

"Just encouraging them, like 'stay curious,' giving them a lot of different ways that can reassure them that I'm part of this day-to-day.

"It takes a ton of people and it's not just involved around hey what Steve thinks, it's about what is best for the community."

In addition to Steve's philanthropic efforts, his ambassadorship for the Carolina Panthers organization remains consistent and above reproach.

Whether that's making this year's trip to Germany and hosting events with other members of the Legends community or the many domestic appearances throughout the year, Smith has become part of the fabric of the community in the same way he became a part of the team's on-field history.