BUFFALO, NY. (WKBW) — Buffalo Bandits forward Dhane Smith is a local icon and a huge voice in the lacrosse community right here in Western New York.
But most of you probably didn’t know that Smith partnered up with his friends at Mr. Sizzle's to create his own sandwich, which has now been tabbed “The Great Dhane” chicken sandwich.
What better way to learn about this collaboration than to talk to the man himself?
“You always want to be a part of the community more and more," said Smith. "For me, it’s important to give back to the community just like they’ve given back to me. They’ve supported us throughout this process which has been awesome.”
“Sizzle's is pro-Buffalo. Anything Buffalo we’re all about," added Mr. Sizzle's owner Chris Casas. "And Dhane actually reached out to us. How do you say no?!"
When you combine Buffalo sports with food, the results usually speak for themselves.
“So Dhane told us his favorite sandwich ingredients, we put it together and ‘The Great Dhane’ was born," said Casas.
The Great Dhane sandwich consists of a fried hot-honey chicken breast, pepper jack cheese, avocado crispy onion straws, and a house-made chipotle sauce. It has quickly turned into the perfect cheat meal for Dhane and pregame fuel for Bandit fans.
“At first I thought they would make a sandwich and I’d put my name on it, but they were like no we want you to take full advantage of it," Smith said. "A lot of teammates have been asking about it, I told them it’s more of a Sunday meal after burning a lot of calories. I wouldn’t recommend eating it before a game unless you’re a fan.”
This past November, Smith signed a five-year deal with the Bandits. The two-time NLL MVP (2016, 2022) is one of five players in league history to win at least two MVP awards and was one of three finalists for the NLL MVP in 2023. Although he didn't win MVP in 2023 he led the Bandits to the team's first NLL Championship since 2008 and was named NLL Finals MVP. Signing the five-year deal almost all but guarantees he will be a Bandit for life.
Fast forward to today, this new collaboration becomes the first step in making sure the community knows he’s here to leave his footprint.
“After signing that five-year deal I wanted to give back to that community. I want to make my own foundation eventually. But this was a starting step. And they’ve (Mr. Sizzle's) done a great job of welcoming me," Smith added.
