Dwight Smith
Encyclopedia
Dwight Smith is an American football
safety who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Akron
.
Smith earned a Super Bowl ring
with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII
. He has also played for the New Orleans Saints
, Minnesota Vikings
and Detroit Lions
.
from 2001 to 2004. Smith's career highlight came with in the Bucs' 48-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders
in Super Bowl XXXVII
, in which Smith intercepted two passes from quarterback
Rich Gannon
, returning both for touchdowns. He was the first player ever to score 2 touchdowns on interception returns in Super Bowl history.
and played for them for a season.
. He will receive $5 million over 2 years. The deal reunited Smith with Lions' head coach Rod Marinelli
and defensive coordinator Joe Barry
, both of whom were assistants on the Tampa Bay staff when the veteran safety spent the first four seasons of his NFL career as a standout Bucs' defender.
Smith was released by the Lions on February 9, 2009.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
safety who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Akron
Akron Zips football
The University of Akron Zips are a college football program representing the University of Akron that competes in NCAA Division I FBS Mid-American Conference football...
.
Smith earned a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
. He has also played for the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Smith began his career with the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
from 2001 to 2004. Smith's career highlight came with in the Bucs' 48-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
, in which Smith intercepted two passes from quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Rich Gannon
Rich Gannon
Richard Joseph Gannon is a former football quarterback, who achieved most of his success late in his career with the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League...
, returning both for touchdowns. He was the first player ever to score 2 touchdowns on interception returns in Super Bowl history.
New Orleans Saints
Before the 2005 season he signed with the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
and played for them for a season.
Minnesota Vikings
Smith signed a three-year deal with the Vikings in July 2006. On February 20, 2008 the Vikings released him.Detroit Lions
On February 27, 2008 he signed with the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. He will receive $5 million over 2 years. The deal reunited Smith with Lions' head coach Rod Marinelli
Rod Marinelli
Rodney Marinelli is the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Chicago Bears. He is the former head coach of the Detroit Lions...
and defensive coordinator Joe Barry
Joe Barry
Joe Barry is the linebackers coach for the University of Southern California, former linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the former defensive coordinator for the National Football League Detroit Lions. He is the son of former Detroit Lions assistant offensive line coach Mike Barry...
, both of whom were assistants on the Tampa Bay staff when the veteran safety spent the first four seasons of his NFL career as a standout Bucs' defender.
Smith was released by the Lions on February 9, 2009.