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Rod Smith
Missouri Southern State University
A native of Texarkana,
Ark., Smith enjoyed a stellar career at Missouri Southern State
University where he set conference records in career receiving yards
(3,122) and touchdowns (35). He also still holds school records for
catches in a game (13), receiving yards in a game (254), receiving yards
in a season (1,439), highest average gain per reception in a season
(24.0), touchdown receptions in a season (15) and longest pass reception
(98 yards).
He finished his career
with 158 receptions for 3,122 yards and 34 touchdowns, which is now
third all- time. As a senior in 1993, he was named first-team
All-American by the AP, Kodak, Football Gazette, and NCAA Division II
Sports Information Directors. He finished the year as a Harlon Hill
Finalist after posting 63 receptions for 986 yards and 13 touchdowns.
After graduating in
1994 with degrees in Economics and Finance, General Business, and
Marketing and Management, Smith was named Missouri Southern's
Outstanding Graduate.
Smith began his
pro-career by signing with the Denver Broncos practice squad in 1994. He
played 13 seasons and recorded 849 receptions for 11,389 yards and 68
touchdowns, all of which are franchise records.
He ranks 12th on the
all-time NFL career receptions list and 19th all-time in career
receiving yards.
He leads all undrafted
players in NFL history in every major career receiving category. He
posted eight career 1,000 yard seasons, including six straight from
1997-2002. He is also one of just six players to have back-to-back
seasons with 100 receptions. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2000, 2001,
and 2004. He would go on to help the Broncos win back-to-back Super
Bowls in 1997 and 1998.
In 1995 he saw action
in all 16 of the Broncos regular-season games as a wide receiver and
special teams player. His first career catch was a 43-yard game winning
touchdown pass from John Elway against the Washington Redskins. Smith
out-jumped NFL Hall of Famer Darrell Green for the ball in the endzone
as time expired. He also returned 4 kicks for 54 yards.
He started the 1996
season listed third on the depth chart. He recorded 16 catches for 237
yards while scoring 2 touchdowns. He also returned 23 punts for 283
yards. Smith enjoyed a break-out season in 1997, recording six 100-yard
games. He started all 16 regular season games and lead the team with
1,180 yards receiving on 70 receptions. He also ranked third in the NFL
with 16.9 yards per pass and caught 12 touchdowns. In Denver's 24-21 AFC
Championship victory over Pittsburg, Smith caught a career playoff-high
six passes for 87 yards. He helped the Broncos win Super Bowl XXXII over
the Green Bay Packers.
Smith helped the
Broncos defend their Super Bowl title in 1998 by posting 86 receptions
for 1,222 and 6 touchdowns. He tied for third in the NFL in receptions
and finished fourth in receiving yards. In the postseason he caught 12
passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns. Smith also recorded his first
career pass completion when we hit John Elway for a 14 yard gain on a
wide receiver reverse pass.
In Super Bowl XXXIII
against Atlanta, Smith caught 5 receptions for a caeer post-season high
152 yards.
This included an
80-yard touchdown from John Elway in the second quarter to help Denver
pull out a 34-19 victory. It tied for the second-longest play from
scrimmage in Super Bowl history.
Smith once again led
the Broncos in receiving yards and receptions in 1999 after catching 79
balls for 1,020 yards. He recorded four touchdowns and finished with a
long reception of 71 yards. He became the first player in franchise
history to post three consecutive seasons with 1,000 or more receiving
yards.
In 2000, Smith was
elected to his first Pro Bowl game. He was also named second-team
All-NFL by the Associated Press, first-team All-Pro by USA Today,
College & Pro Newsweekly and Football Digest, and All- AFC by Pro
Football Weekly and Football News. He started all 16 regular-season
games and set a career high with 1,602 yards on 100 receptions to go
along with 8 touchdowns. His 1,602 receiving yards tied for ninth most
in a season in NFL history.
Smith followed up with another Pro-Bowl season in 2001. He was selected
as a started after catching a career high 113 passes for 1,343 yards and
11 touchdowns. He became one of six players in NFL history to catch 100
or more passes in back-to-back seasons. He set a NFL record by catching
67 passes in the first eight games of the season. This was the most ever
by an NFL player at that stage of a season.
Smith was voted
offensive captain by his teammates in 2002 and went on to lead the
Broncos in receiving yards for the sixth straight season. He caught a
team high 89 passes for 1,027 yards and 5 touchdowns. He caught his
500th career pass in a game against Miami. Smith ended the year as the
Broncos’
all-time leader in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and 100-yards
games and second in receptions and total touchdowns.
Smith again led the
Broncos in receptions and receiving yards in 2003. He caught 74 passes
for 845 yards and three touchdowns. He caught his 600th career pass
against San Diego, making him the 31st player in NFL history to do so.
He also finished the regular season having caught a pass in a
team-record 76 straight games.
In 2004, Smith recorded
his franchise-best seventh 1,000 yards season. He finished the year with
79 receptions for an AFC high 1,144 yards and 7 touchdowns. Smith passed
Shannon Sharpe and became the Broncos franchise leader in receptions and
touchdown catches. He became one of 20 players in NFL history to record
over 700 career receptions. He also became the only undrafted player to
eclipsed 9,000 career receiving yards. He recorded a career high 208
yards receiving against Arizona. He became the second Bronco in team
history to top 200 receiving yards. He extended his franchise-record
streak to 92 consecutive games with a catch. Smith was named to the Pro
Bowl for the third time in his career after a record-breaking year in
2005. He was again led the Broncos with 85 receptions for 1,105 yards
with six touchdowns.
He passed Terrell Davis to become the Broncos career leader in
touchdowns scored. He also became the NFL’s first undrafted player to
record 10,000 career receiving yards. Smith became the Broncos all-time
playoff leader in career receptions and receiving yards with 49 catches
for 869 yards. Smith extended his franchise-record pass-catching streak
to 124 games in 2006. He caught 52 passes for 512 yards and 3
touchdowns. He became the team’s all-time leader in combined yardage
with 12,488 combined yards. He also collected his 800th career pass
reception against St, Louis. Smith retired just before the start of the
2008 season after injuries forced him to miss the entire 2007 season. He
retired as the Broncos all-time leader in every major receiving
category.
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