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7. Rod Smith

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7. Rod Smith

Playing college at Missouri Southern State, Rod Smith would break a lot of school records, but it did not translate into a draft selection.  The Denver Broncos would, however, sign him and while he did not play as a rookie and sparingly in the two seasons after, he would become a star receiver for John Elway in 1997 where he would catch 70 Receptions for 1,180 Yards and 12 Touchdowns and was a member of the Denver's Super Bowl XXXII win, the first in franchise history.  This was not a one year wonder as Smith again hit 1,000 Yards in 1998 and played a more prominent role in their Super Bowl XXXIII title where he had five catches for 152 Yards and a Touchdown.  

John Elway retired, and Smith played more of a leadership role where he remained the primary target, though it was now for Brian Griese.  As he did in 1997 and 1998, Smith would have 1,000 Yard plus receiving seasons from 1999 to 2002 making it six in a row, and he would be selected for the Pro Bowl in both 2000 and 2001, the former seeing him have a career-high 1,602 Yards, the latter seeing him lead the NFL in Receptions.  He dipped below 1,000 Yards in 2003 but returned to that level in 2004 and 2005 with a third Pro Bowl nod in 2005.  When he retired after 2006, he was by far the all-time leader in Receptions (849), Receiving Yards (11,389) and Receiving Touchdowns (68) and became the first undrafted Wideout to hit 10,000 Yards.

Denver chose Smith for their Ring of Fame in 2012.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Wide Receiver
  • Acquired: Signed as an Undrafted Free Agent before the 1994 Season.
  • Departed: Retired 7/24/08.
  • Games Played: 183
  • Notable Statistics:

    158 Games Started
    849 Receptions
    11,389 Receiving Yards
    68 Touchdown Receptions
    44 Rushing Attempts
    348 Rushing Yards
    1 Rushing Touchdown
    2 Pass Completions
    5 Pass Attempts
    86 Passing Yards
    53 Punt Returns
    647 Punt Return Yards
    1 Punt Return Touchdown
    6 Kick Returns
    93 Kick Return Yards
    126 Approximate Value

    13 Playoff Games
    49 Receptions
    860 Receiving Yards
    6 Touchdown Receptions
    3 Rushing Attempts
    4 Rushing Yards

  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    Super Bowl Champion (XXXII & XXXIII)
    Second Team All-Pro (2000 & 2001)
    Pro Bowl (2000, 2001 & 2005)
    Most Receptions (2001)

Last modified on Sunday, 07 August 2022 01:00
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