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{{Short description|American football player (born 1959)}}
{{BLP ref improve|date=December 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL player
{{BLP sources|date=December 2016}}
|image=
{{Use American English|date=March 2023}}
|name=Dennis Smith
{{Infobox NFL biography
|caption=
| image =
|position=[[Safety (American football position)|Safety]]
| name = Dennis Smith
|number=49
| caption =
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1959|02|3}}
| position = [[Safety (American football position)|Safety]]
|birth_place=[[Santa Monica, California]]
| number = 49
|death_date=
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|02|3}}
|draftyear=1981
| birth_place = [[Santa Monica, California]], U.S.
|draftround=1
| death_date =
|draftpick=15
| height_ft = 6
|high_school=[[Santa Monica High School|Santa Monica]]<br/>([[Santa Monica, California]])
| height_in = 3
|college=[[USC Trojans football|USC]]
| weight_lbs = 200
|teams=
| draftyear = 1981
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 15
| high_school = [[Santa Monica High School|Santa Monica]]
| college = [[USC Trojans football|USC]]
| teams =
* [[Denver Broncos]] ([[1981 NFL season|1981]]–[[1994 NFL season|1994]])
* [[Denver Broncos]] ([[1981 NFL season|1981]]–[[1994 NFL season|1994]])
|statlabel1=[[Interception]]s
| statlabel1 = [[Interception]]s
|statvalue1=30
| statvalue1 = 30
|statlabel2=INT yards
| statlabel2 = INT yards
|statvalue2=431
| statvalue2 = 431
|statlabel3=[[Quarterback sack|Sacks]]
| statlabel3 = [[Quarterback sack|Sacks]]
|statvalue3=15
| statvalue3 = 15
| highlights =
|nfl=SMI194880
* 2× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1984 All-Pro Team|1984]], [[1986 All-Pro Team|1986]])
|highlights=
* Second-team All-Pro ([[1989 All-Pro Team|1989]])
* 6× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1986 Pro Bowl|1985]], [[1987 Pro Bowl|1986]], [[1990 Pro Bowl|1989]]–[[1992 Pro Bowl|1991]], [[1994 Pro Bowl|1993]])
* 6× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1986 Pro Bowl|1985]], [[1987 Pro Bowl|1986]], [[1990 Pro Bowl|1989]]–[[1992 Pro Bowl|1991]], [[1994 Pro Bowl|1993]])
* [[List of NFL annual tackles leaders#Combined tackles leaders|NFL combined tackles leader]] (1983)
* ''[[Associated Press|AP]]'' Second-Team All-Pro ([[1989 All-Pro Team|1989]])
* [[Denver Broncos Ring of Fame]]
* 3× ''[[Pro Football Weekly|PFW]]'' First-Team All-AFC (1984, 1986, 1989)
* [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National champion]] ([[1978 USC Trojans football team|1978]])
* [[Denver Broncos#Ring of Fame|Broncos Ring of Fame]] inductee (2001)
* First-team [[All-American]] ([[1980 College Football All-America Team|1980]])
* 2× Third-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1979 College Football All-America Team|1979]], [[1980 College Football All-America Team|1980]])
* 2× First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference football teams|All-Pac-10]] ([[1979 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team|1979]], [[1980 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team|1980]])
|HOF=
* Second-team All-Pac-10 ([[1978 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team|1978]])
|CollegeHOF=
| pfr = SmitDe01
| HOF =
| CollegeHOF =
}}
}}
'''Dennis Smith''' (born February 3, 1959) is a retired [[American football]] player. He played professionally as a [[Safety (American football position)|safety]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Denver Broncos]] from 1981 until 1994. Smith played [[college football]] at the [[University of Southern California]] (USC).
'''Dennis Smith''' (born February 3, 1959) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[Safety (American football position)|safety]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Denver Broncos]] from 1981 until 1994. Smith played [[college football]] for the [[USC Trojans football|USC Trojans]].


==High school career==
==Early life==
Smith played [[high school football]] as a [[wide receiver]] and [[defensive back]] at [[Santa Monica High School]] (Samohi). He was the [[CIF Southern Section]] Co-Player of the Year in 1976. Dennis Smith was a great prospect who went on to be a Pro Bowl player. But at that time his standard as a player was to emulate [[Dennis Thurman]], who had been such an outstanding player previously at Samohi in 1974 who also later starred at [[USC Trojans football|USC]] and Smith would eventually follow Thurman as a freshman to run [[Track and field|track]] and play football at USC as a safety. Smith also ran on the track & field team at Santa Monica and broke the HS [[high jump]] record (which has since been eclipsed) in 1977. He was coached by Tebb Kusserow. who also coached number of other NFL players such as [[Dennis Thurman]], [[Junior Thurman]], [[Mel Kaufman]], [[Pat O'Hara]], [[Glyn Milburn]], [[Sam Anno]], [[Damone Johnson]], and others notables such as actor [[Dean Cain]]. Smith has also been inducted into the Santa Monica High School Hall of Fame for athletes and has had his number "symbolically" retired by the school.
Smith played [[high school football]] as a [[wide receiver]] and [[defensive back]] at [[Santa Monica High School]] (Samohi). He was the [[CIF Southern Section]] Co-Player of the Year in 1976. Dennis Smith was a great prospect who went on to be a Pro Bowl player. But at that time his standard as a player was to emulate [[Dennis Thurman]], who had been such an outstanding player previously at Samohi in 1974 who also later starred at [[USC Trojans football|USC]] and Smith would eventually follow Thurman as a freshman to run [[Track and field|track]] and play football at USC as a safety. Smith also ran on the track & field team at Santa Monica and broke the HS [[high jump]] record (which has since been eclipsed) in 1977. He was coached by Tebb Kusserow. who also coached number of other NFL players such as [[Dennis Thurman]], [[Junior Thurman]], [[Mel Kaufman]], [[Pat O'Hara]], [[Glyn Milburn]], [[Sam Anno]], [[Damone Johnson]], and others notables such as actor [[Dean Cain]]. Smith has also been inducted into the Santa Monica High School Hall of Fame for athletes and has had his number "symbolically" retired by the school.


==College career==
==College career==
Smith was a consensus [[All-America]] choice as a senior at USC in 1980. He played in two [[Rose Bowl Game|Rose Bowls]] for the [[USC Trojans football|USC Trojans]]. He played in a secondary which included three future NFL All-Pros: the [[San Francisco 49ers]]' [[Ronnie Lott]] and the [[Minnesota Vikings]]' [[Joey Browner]] in addition to himself. Smith was a consensus All-America choice as he [[Letterman (sports)|lettered]] four times in football and three times in track. He posted 205 career [[Tackle (football move)|tackles]] and 16 [[interception]]s. He was inducted into the USC Ring of Fame in 2001. Smith played at Southern California (1977–1980) for [[John Robinson (football coach)|John Robinson]] in a star-studded defensive backfield and is a member of the USC team that won the national championship in 1978.
Smith was a consensus [[All-America]] choice as a senior at [[University of Southern California]] in 1980. He played in two [[Rose Bowl Game|Rose Bowls]] for the [[USC Trojans football|Trojans]]. He played in a secondary which included three future NFL All-Pros: the [[San Francisco 49ers]]' [[Ronnie Lott]] and the [[Minnesota Vikings]]' [[Joey Browner]] in addition to himself. Smith was a consensus All-America choice as he [[Letterman (sports)|lettered]] four times in football and three times in track. He posted 205 career [[Tackle (football move)|tackles]] and 16 [[interception]]s. He was inducted into the USC Ring of Fame in 2001. Smith played at Southern California (1977–1980) for [[John Robinson (football coach)|John Robinson]] in a star-studded defensive backfield and is a member of the USC team that won the national championship in 1978.


==Professional career==
==Professional career==
Smith established himself as one of the most feared and hardest hitting safeties in the NFL (a reputation later held by his protégé, [[Steve Atwater]]). Smith was voted to play in six [[Pro Bowl]]s (following the 1985–1986, 1989–1991 and 1993 seasons), was named All-[[American Football Conference]] (AFC) in 1984 and 1988.. He played on three Broncos [[Super Bowl]] teams ([[Super Bowl XXI|XXI]], [[Super Bowl XXII|XXII]], [[Super Bowl XXIV|XXIV]]), and was named [[All-Pro]] four times.
Smith established himself as one of the most feared and hardest hitting safeties in the NFL (a reputation later held by his protégé, [[Steve Atwater]]). Smith was voted to play in six [[Pro Bowl]]s (following the 1985–1986, 1989–1991 and 1993 seasons), was named All-[[American Football Conference]] (AFC) in 1984 and 1988. He played on three Broncos [[Super Bowl]] teams ([[Super Bowl XXI|XXI]], [[Super Bowl XXII|XXII]], [[Super Bowl XXIV|XXIV]]), and was named [[All-Pro]] four times.


Smith's career totals include 1,171 tackles, 30 interceptions and 15 [[Quarterback sack|sacks]]. He posted a career-high five interceptions in 1991. He ranks fourth all-time among Denver Broncos in games played with the franchise. with 184. He is also the Broncos leading tackles leader of all time with 1152 recorded tackles.
Smith's career totals include 1,171 tackles, 30 interceptions and 15 [[Quarterback sack|sacks]]. He posted a career-high five interceptions in 1991. He ranks fourth all-time among Denver Broncos in games played with the franchise with 184. He is the Broncos' leading tackler of all time with 1,152 recorded tackles.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/den/career-defense.htm | title=Denver Broncos Career Defense Leaders | website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] }}</ref>


Smith was named the Denver Broncos's most inspirational player in 1992. He was inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame in 2001 and the
Smith was named the Denver Broncos's most inspirational player in 1992. He was inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame in 2001 and the
Colorado Hall of Fame in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/broncos-legends-a-look-back-through-dennis-smith-broncos-career | title=Broncos Legends: A look back through Dennis Smith's Broncos career }}</ref>
Colorado Hall of Fame in 2006.

==NFL career statistics==
===Regular season===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="4"| Tackles
! colspan="5"| Interceptions
! colspan="4"| Fumbles
|-
! GP !! GS !! Comb !! Solo !! Ast !! Sck !! Int !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! FF !! FR !! Yds !! TD
|-
! [[1981 NFL season|1981]] || [[1981 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| '''16''' || 4 || 45 || — || — || 0.0 || 1 || 65 || '''65.0''' || '''65''' || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1982 NFL season|1982]] || [[1982 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 8 || 8 || 65 || — || — || 2.0 || 1 || 29 || 29.0 || 29 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1983 NFL season|1983]] || [[1983 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 14 || 13 || style="background:#cfecec;"|114 || — || — || '''5.0''' || 4 || 39 || 9.8 || 23 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1984 NFL season|1984]] || [[1984 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 15 || 15 || 92 || — || — || 1.0 || 3 || 13 || 4.3 || 10 || 0 || 0 || 1 || '''64''' || '''1'''
|-
! [[1985 NFL season|1985]] || [[1985 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 13 || 12 || 66 || — || — || 4.0 || 3 || 46 || 15.3 || 39 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1986 NFL season|1986]] || [[1986 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 14 || 14 || 88 || — || — || 1.0 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1987 NFL season|1987]] || [[1987 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 6 || 6 || 35 || — || — || 0.0 || 2 || 21 || 10.5 || 15 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1988 NFL season|1988]] || [[1988 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 11 || 11 || 106 || — || — || 1.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1989 NFL season|1989]] || [[1989 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 14 || 14 || 82 || — || — || 0.0 || 2 || '''78''' || 39.0 || 50 || 0 || 0 || '''3''' || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1990 NFL season|1990]] || [[1990 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 15 || 15 || 110 || — || — || 0.0 || 1 || 13 || 13.0 || 13 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1991 NFL season|1991]] || [[1991 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 110 || — || — || 0.0 || '''5''' || 60 || 12.0 || 39 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 5 || 0
|-
! [[1992 NFL season|1992]] || [[1992 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || '''120''' || — || — || 0.0 || 4 || 10 || 2.5 || 8 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] || [[1993 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 14 || 14 || 96 || — || — || 0.0 || 3 || 57 || 19.0 || 36 || 0 || '''1''' || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1994 NFL season|1994]] || [[1994 Denver Broncos season|DEN]]
| 12 || 12 || 29 || 23 || 6 || 1.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| Career !! 184 !! 170 !! 1,158 !! 23 !! 6 !! 15.0 !! 30 !! 431 !! 14.4 !! 65 !! 0 !! 1 !! 17 !! 69 !! 1
|}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}



{{1978 USC Trojans football navbox}}
{{1978 USC Trojans football navbox}}
{{1981 NFL Draft}}
{{1981 NFL Draft}}
{{Broncos1981DraftPicks}}
{{BroncosFirstPick}}
{{BroncosFirstPick}}
{{Broncos50th}}
{{Broncos50th}}
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[[Category:USC Trojans men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:USC Trojans men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Santa Monica, California]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Santa Monica, California]]
[[Category:Players of American football from California]]

Latest revision as of 21:14, 25 June 2024

Dennis Smith
No. 49
Position:Safety
Personal information
Born: (1959-02-03) February 3, 1959 (age 65)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school:Santa Monica
College:USC
NFL draft:1981 / round: 1 / pick: 15
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:30
INT yards:431
Sacks:15
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Dennis Smith (born February 3, 1959) is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the Denver Broncos from 1981 until 1994. Smith played college football for the USC Trojans.

Early life

[edit]

Smith played high school football as a wide receiver and defensive back at Santa Monica High School (Samohi). He was the CIF Southern Section Co-Player of the Year in 1976. Dennis Smith was a great prospect who went on to be a Pro Bowl player. But at that time his standard as a player was to emulate Dennis Thurman, who had been such an outstanding player previously at Samohi in 1974 who also later starred at USC and Smith would eventually follow Thurman as a freshman to run track and play football at USC as a safety. Smith also ran on the track & field team at Santa Monica and broke the HS high jump record (which has since been eclipsed) in 1977. He was coached by Tebb Kusserow. who also coached number of other NFL players such as Dennis Thurman, Junior Thurman, Mel Kaufman, Pat O'Hara, Glyn Milburn, Sam Anno, Damone Johnson, and others notables such as actor Dean Cain. Smith has also been inducted into the Santa Monica High School Hall of Fame for athletes and has had his number "symbolically" retired by the school.

College career

[edit]

Smith was a consensus All-America choice as a senior at University of Southern California in 1980. He played in two Rose Bowls for the Trojans. He played in a secondary which included three future NFL All-Pros: the San Francisco 49ers' Ronnie Lott and the Minnesota Vikings' Joey Browner in addition to himself. Smith was a consensus All-America choice as he lettered four times in football and three times in track. He posted 205 career tackles and 16 interceptions. He was inducted into the USC Ring of Fame in 2001. Smith played at Southern California (1977–1980) for John Robinson in a star-studded defensive backfield and is a member of the USC team that won the national championship in 1978.

Professional career

[edit]

Smith established himself as one of the most feared and hardest hitting safeties in the NFL (a reputation later held by his protégé, Steve Atwater). Smith was voted to play in six Pro Bowls (following the 1985–1986, 1989–1991 and 1993 seasons), was named All-American Football Conference (AFC) in 1984 and 1988. He played on three Broncos Super Bowl teams (XXI, XXII, XXIV), and was named All-Pro four times.

Smith's career totals include 1,171 tackles, 30 interceptions and 15 sacks. He posted a career-high five interceptions in 1991. He ranks fourth all-time among Denver Broncos in games played with the franchise with 184. He is the Broncos' leading tackler of all time with 1,152 recorded tackles.[1]

Smith was named the Denver Broncos's most inspirational player in 1992. He was inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame in 2001 and the Colorado Hall of Fame in 2006.[2]

NFL career statistics

[edit]

Regular season

[edit]
Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles
GP GS Comb Solo Ast Sck Int Yds Avg Lng TD FF FR Yds TD
1981 DEN 16 4 45 — — 0.0 1 65 65.0 65 0 0 2 0 0
1982 DEN 8 8 65 — — 2.0 1 29 29.0 29 0 0 0 0 0
1983 DEN 14 13 114 — — 5.0 4 39 9.8 23 0 0 0 0 0
1984 DEN 15 15 92 — — 1.0 3 13 4.3 10 0 0 1 64 1
1985 DEN 13 12 66 — — 4.0 3 46 15.3 39 0 0 0 0 0
1986 DEN 14 14 88 — — 1.0 1 0 0.0 0 0 0 1 0 0
1987 DEN 6 6 35 — — 0.0 2 21 10.5 15 0 0 2 0 0
1988 DEN 11 11 106 — — 1.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 2 0 0
1989 DEN 14 14 82 — — 0.0 2 78 39.0 50 0 0 3 0 0
1990 DEN 15 15 110 — — 0.0 1 13 13.0 13 0 0 2 0 0
1991 DEN 16 16 110 — — 0.0 5 60 12.0 39 0 0 1 5 0
1992 DEN 16 16 120 — — 0.0 4 10 2.5 8 0 0 2 0 0
1993 DEN 14 14 96 — — 0.0 3 57 19.0 36 0 1 0 0 0
1994 DEN 12 12 29 23 6 1.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Career 184 170 1,158 23 6 15.0 30 431 14.4 65 0 1 17 69 1

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Denver Broncos Career Defense Leaders". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  2. ^ "Broncos Legends: A look back through Dennis Smith's Broncos career".
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