Jimmy Smith (football player)
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| Jimmy Smith | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | February 9, 1969 (age 38) |
| Place of birth |  Detroit, Michigan |
| Position(s) | Wide Receiver |
| College | Jackson State |
| NFL Draft | 1992 / Round 2/ Pick 36 |
| Career Highlights | |
| Pro Bowls | 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 |
| Records | Jacksonville Jaguars Receptions 862 |
| Stats | |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 1992-1994 1994 1995-2005 |
Dallas Cowboys Philadelphia Eagles Jacksonville Jaguars |
Jimmy Lee Smith (born February 9, 1969 in Detroit, Michigan) was a National Football League wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
[edit] High School Years
Smith attended Callaway High School (Jackson, Mississippi) and won All-Conference honors in football.
[edit] 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 [1]). 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 every year between 1996 and 1999. In 2001, Smith was found to have cocaine in his system after being pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving. As a result, Smith served a four game suspension in 2003.
On May 11, 2006, Smith announced his retirement from the NFL.[2] 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 2006, the only players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame with more career receiving yards than Jimmy Smith are Steve Largent(13,089) and James Lofton(14,004); neither has more catches.
