Bruce Smith Career NFL Stats 1985-2003 |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G |
SOLOTKL |
AST TKL |
COMB TKL |
SACKS |
INT |
INT TD |
FF |
FR |
FRTD |
| 279 |
426 |
149 |
1,224 |
200.0 |
2 |
0 |
43 |
15 |
1 |
Bruce Bernard Smith was born on June 18, 1963 in Norfolk, VA. He is the son of Annie and George Smith. Bruce was involved in sports from a young age. He played basketball and baseball in addition to football. Bruce was always big for his age growing up and he was a force in any sport he participated in.
Smith attended Booker T. Washington High School. The future Hall of Famer didn’t start playing football until his sophomore year. It only took two years for Smith to make a name for himself. As a senior, he earned All-State honors. Smith would accept a scholarship offer to Virginia Tech.
Bruce Smith College Career Stats and Notes
Smith played for Virginia Tech from 1981-84. He had 46 sacks and 71 tackles for losses during his college career. He led the nation with 22 sacks his junior year. Smith was an Outland Trophy winner and a two-time First Team All-American.
Awards and Achievements |
|
MVP
|
|
All-Pro
|
1st Team: 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 2nd Team: 1989, 1998 |
Pro Bowl Selections |
1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
|
Defensive Player of the Year Award |
|
Achievements
|
Member of 1980s All-Decade Team Member of 1990s All-Decade Team Member of NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team |
Bruce Smith NFL Career Stats and Notes
Smith was selected number one overall in the 1985 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. Smith played 15 seasons with the Bills, helping turn the franchise into an AFC juggernaut in the late 1980s and early 90s. With Smith anchoring the defensive line, the Bills routinely made the playoffs including a NFL record four straight Super Bowls. In 2000, Smith signed with the Washington Redskins. He played for there for four seasons before retiring after the 2003 season. Smith was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
Bruce Smith 1990 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
In 1990, Smith and the Buffalo Bills started their historic run of four straight Super Bowl appearances. That year’s team was perhaps the Bills best, while also being the one closest to winning a Super Bowl. They lost 20-19 to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV.
Smith had one of his best seasons. He had 101 tackles, 19 sacks and 4 forced fumbles. Although the Bills had one of the most potent offenses led by Hall of Famers Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed, Smith powered a defense that was ranked in the top ten. For his stellar play that year, Smith was awarded the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.