Jimmy Smith (American football)

Infobox NFLretired


name=Jimmy Smith
|caption=
position=Wide receiver
number=82
birthdate=birth date and age|1969|2|9
Detroit, Michigan
debutyear=1992
finalyear=2005
draftyear=1992
draftround=2
draftpick=36
college=Jackson State
teams=
* Dallas Cowboys (1992-1993)
* Jacksonville Jaguars (1995-2005)
stat1label=Receptions
stat1value=862
stat2label=Receiving Yards
stat2value=12,287
stat3label=Touchdowns
stat3value=67
nfl=SMI412032
highlights=
* 5x Pro Bowl selection (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)
* 2x All-Pro selection (1998, 1999)
* 2x Super Bowl Champion (XXVII, XXVIII)
HOF=
CollegeHOF=

Jimmy Lee Smith (born February 9, 1969 in Detroit, Michigan) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

High school years

Smith attended Callaway High School in Jackson, Mississippi and won All-Conference honors in football.

NFL career

Smith was selected as a second round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1992 NFL Draft from Jackson State University. He spent two injury-plagued seasons with Dallas. After missing much of the 1992 season with a broken leg, early in 1993 he underwent an emergency appendectomy which led to a severe infection and was nearly fatal. In the aftermath, a dispute broke out between Smith and Cowboy owner Jerry Jones, who claimed that, since the condition wasn't football related, the Cowboys should not have to pay Smith for the 1993 season. Smith spent all of 1993 on the injured reserve list.

Before the 1994 season, Smith was cut by the Cowboys. He was subsequently signed by the Philadelphia Eagles but was cut before the 1994 season began.

He was signed by the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars in February 1995 after head coach Tom Coughlin saw the talent that Smith possessed (with a little help from Smith's mother, who sent the coach a binder of press clippings). [ [http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5596554] Dead link|date=August 2008] . In 1996, Smith emerged as a dominant receiver on a Jaguars team that made an improbable appearance in the AFC Championship Game. Smith continued to be a key member of the Jaguars offense and helped lead the team to playoff appearances for four straight years (from 1996 to 1999). In 2001, Smith was found to have benzoylecgonine, a by-product of cocaine, in his system after being pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving. Smith denied using cocaine and was not charged with any crime since he was not found to be impaired while driving. [ [http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/112701/met_7931970.html Jags' Smith tests positive for cocaine in traffic stop] ] The incident did place Smith into the NFL's substance-abuse program and in 2003, he was handed a four game suspension for an undisclosed additional violation. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20030817/ai_n11404627 Smith's suspension adds to Jaguar pain] ]

On May 11, 2006, Smith announced his retirement from the NFL. [ [http://www.tsn.ca/nfl/news_story.asp?ID=165541 Jaguars receiver Smith decides to retire ] ] He finished his career 7th in NFL history with 862 catches and 11th in league history with 12,287 yards. He had 67 career touchdown catches with the Jaguars. He had seven straight 1,000 yard seasons which ranks third behind Jerry Rice and Tim Brown. Smith had been voted to the Pro Bowl five straight times from 1997 to 2001. Smith is also the Jacksonville Jaguars all-time leading receiver, having led the team in receiving every season from 1996-2005. He also set team records with 116 receptions and 1,636 yards in 1999, both career highs. His career high in touchdowns was eight, achieved in 1998, 2000 and 2001.

As of 2008, the only players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame with more career receiving yards than Jimmy Smith are Art Monk (12,721) Steve Largent (13,089) and James Lofton (14,004); only Monk has more catches.

On the morning of August 30th, 2008 Jimmy Smith was arrested for DUI and posted bond 10 hours later. Also found in his possession was marijuana.

References

External links

* [http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/1236 Career Stats on NFL.com]
* [http://jaguars.com/Team/Bio/FullBio/1192.asp Career Stats on Jaguars.com]
* [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/SmitJi00.htm Career Stats on PFR]
* [http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=SMITHJIM08 Career Stats on Database Football]
* [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/2000/playoffs/conf_afc/news/2000/01/22/smith_jaguars_ap/ J.S. on the 2000 playoffs]
* [http://www.jaguars.com/Story/5173.asp Quotes about Jimmy Smith]
* [http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/breaking/news-article.aspx?storyid=117672&catid=17]