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| Position | Linebacker | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1965-07-03)July 3, 1965 (age 60) Statesville, North Carolina, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 247 lb (112 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Statesville (NC) | ||||||||
| College | East Carolina (1984–1987) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1988: undrafted | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Robert Vinson Smith (born July 3, 1965) is an American former professionalfootball player who was alinebacker in theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theEast Carolina Pirates. Smith played in the NFL for theAtlanta Falcons,Pittsburgh Steelers,Dallas Cowboys,Chicago Bears andNew Orleans Saints. He wonSuper Bowl XXVII with Dallas over theBuffalo Bills.
Smith attendedStatesville High School. As a senior, he received All-state honors atdefensive tackle in football and also inbaseball.
He accepted a football scholarship fromEast Carolina University. As a sophomore, he was a backupdefensive lineman and posted 2 interceptions. As a junior, he was converted into aninside linebacker and became a starter, leading the team with 116 tackles.
As a senior, he collected 118 tackles, leading the team in tackles again, and had 2 interceptions. Smith finished his college career with 294 tackles, 4 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries.
In 2003, he was inducted into theEast Carolina University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Smith was signed as anundrafted free agent by theAtlanta Falcons after the1988 NFL draft on May 2, with the intention on playinglinebacker.[1][2] On August 29, he was placed on theinjured reserve list with an elbow injury. He was activated on November 5, but only played in 3 games. On December 10, he was placed on theinjured reserve list for the last 2 weeks of the season.[3]
On February 28,1989, he signed with thePittsburgh Steelers as aPlan B free agent.[4] He broke his right foot in the second preseason game against theCleveland Browns and was placed on theinjured reserve list on August 29.[5][6]
Although he didn't have many regular season games,Jimmy Johnson andDave Wannstedt remembered his playing days atEast Carolina University, and signed him as aPlan B free agent on March 3,1990.[7] He played mainly onspecial teams. He replaced an injuredKen Norton Jr. atweakside linebacker in the 15th game against thePhiladelphia Eagles. That performance earned him his first career start and game MVP honors, in the team's next game against theAtlanta Falcons, when he had 11 tackles and recovered one fumble. He finished the season with 22special teams tackles (second on the team), 23 defensive tackles, 2 fumble recovered and one forced fumble.
In1991, he started 12 games atweakside linebacker, although he contracted hepatitis, which forced the team to place him on injured reserve for 3 games (week 10 through week 12), and haveDixon Edwards replace him in the starting lineup. He registered 71 tackles (sixth on the team), one tackle for loss, 3 quarterback pressures, one pass defensed and one forced fumble.
In1992, he started 13 games atstrongside linebacker, posting 69 tackles (fifth on the team), 3 tackles for loss, 13special teams tackles (fourth on the team), one sack and one and one quarterback pressure. The Cowboys wonSuper Bowl XXVII with him as a starter and contributing to the goal-line stand, which stopped theBuffalo Bills inside the Cowboys 1-yard line.[8]
On August 17,1993, after defensive coordinatorDave Wannstedt became the head coach for theChicago Bears, he traded for Smith,linebackerBarry Minter and a sixth-round draft pick, in exchange forlinebackerJohn Roper,tight endKelly Blackwell andsafetyMarkus Paul.[9]
In1993, he started 13 games atstrongside linebacker and had 83 tackles, including 49 solo.
In1994, he played in 12 games (10 starts), he entered the season as the starter atstrongside linebacker, but was limited with knee and ankle injuries that affected his production, finishing with 48 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. He suffered a knee injury in the season opener against theTampa Bay Buccaneers and missed the next 2 games. He sprained his ankle in the fifth game against theBuffalo Bills and missed the next 2 games. He was replaced in the starting lineup withRon Cox.[10]
In March1995, the Bears signed him to a new two-year contract. He posted 111 tackles (fifth on the team), 4 sacks (tied for third on the team), one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He had 14 tackles (12 solo) against theJacksonville Jaguars. He had 10 tackles and one fumble recovery against thePittsburgh Steelers. He was awarded the Ed Block courage award at the end of the season.
In1996, he tallied 89 tackles (sixth on the team), 2 fumble recoveries, one sack and one pass defensed. He had 14 tackles against theKansas City Chiefs. He had 10 tackles and one fumble recovery against theTampa Bay Buccaneers. He missed the game against theSan Diego Chargers with an ankle injury.
On July 18,1997, he signed as afree agent with theDallas Cowboys.[11] His preseason performance allowed the team to releaseAlan Campos, keeping only 5linebackers, with Smith backing up all threelinebacker positions, in order to make room forcornerbackDeion Sanders under the salary cap.[12] He appeared in 14 games with 3 starts, missing 2 games with a broken jaw. He posted 22 tackles (8 solo), one sack, 14special teams tackles (fifth on the team). He had 5special teams tackles against theCarolina Panthers. He wasn't re-signed after the season.
On September 9,1998, he signed as a free agent with theNew Orleans Saints.[13] He appeared in 15 games as a backup, making 4 defensive tackles, 4special teams tackles and one forced fumble.
In1999, he appeared in 12 games, recording 8special teams tackles (fourth on the team), one forced fumble and no defensive tackles. On December 16,1999, he was placed on theinjured reserve list.[14] He wasn't re-signed after the season.
Smith is the owner of JPC Bail Bonds. He was the football head coach of Piedmont Christian High School and has held many football training camps for the youth ofIredell County, North Carolina. He is married to Maria Robinson-Smith they have 5 children and 6 grandchildren.
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