Kirby Smart Says He 'Wasn't Aware' Former Star TE Darnell Washington Was Paid By Tennessee During Recruitment

NASHVILLE -- Georgia coach Kirby Smart met with reporters Tuesday morning at SEC Media Days. Smart was prepared for questions about former Bulldogs tight end Darnell Washington and Tennessee.

According to a recent report, Washington was paid by former Tennessee assistant coach Brian Niedermeyer. During the investigation into the Vols football program, it was uncovered that Darnell Washington had $750 delivered to him in Las Vegas by Niedermeyer.

During his recruitment, Washington was also accompanied by Niedermeyer on a flight from Las Vegas to Knoxville, which resulted in Tennessee giving the coveted tight end $2,000 in impermissible benefits.

This all occurred during the height of his recruitment out of high school in 2019, with two unofficial visits to Knoxville.

Kirby Smart Responds To Questions About Tennessee Investigation

The Georgia head coach met with a group of reporters Tuesday morning and was asked about the report, which he acknowledged he read.

“No, we don’t get involved in any kind of NCAA investigation,” Kirby Smart noted. “Wasn’t aware of it or known about it, really anything to do with it. I saw the reports like you guys did.”

Tennessee tried its hardest to stay in the running for Darnell Washington, but he ultimately picked Georgia and went on to win two national championships. Following his time at Georgia, Washington was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in April's draft.

As for whether or not Kirby Smart knew about the payments to Washington, that can be left up to you to decide. But, the talented tight end was a hit prospect during his recruitment, with a number of schools investing their time -- and money (Tennessee) -- into landing him.