Robert Smith (football)
Encyclopedia
Robert Scott Smith is a former American football
running back
who played with the Ohio State
Buckeyes
and later with the Minnesota Vikings
of the NFL. While in college, he openly criticized the Ohio State football staff for not allowing him to concentrate on academics as he wanted to go to medical school. He also participated in track and field
while at Ohio State. Smith had been the only player to ever win Ohio's Mr. Football Award
twice (in 1988 and 1989). Erick Howard has since won the award twice (in 2008 and 2009).
in the first round (21st overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft
. Although he suffered from a number of ailments in his first few seasons, he finally broke through in 1997, gaining 1,266 yards. Smith's finest year as a pro came in the 2000 season
, leading the NFC
in rushing with 1,521 yards. He retired at the end of the season, despite being at the peak of his career.
In eight NFL seasons, Smith rushed for 6,818 yards and 32 touchdowns, along with 178 receptions for 1,292 yards and 6 touchdowns, and only fumbled nine times. He also returned 1 punt for 4 yards and 19 kickoffs for a total of 460 yards. Smith wore number 20 as a rookie in 1993, but switched to number 26 when it became available in 1994 and wore it until his retirement.
Holds the all-time NFL record for average yards per touchdown run at 27.2
news program Outside the Lines
, as well as on various ESPN
programs alongside regulars Rece Davis
, Mark May
, and Lou Holtz
. Smith also works on the NFL Network
as an analyst and has appeared on The Score
to discuss the NFL.
Smith founded the Robert Smith Foundation, a charity whose goal is to "provide financial and moral support for Children's hospitals and cancer research."
Smith made a cameo appearance in the TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000
. He was in Season 8 Episode 3 The Mole People
. He played a scantily clad, mute "hunk" given to Pearl (the series' antagonist) as a present by her minions.
2004 saw publication of Smith's book The Rest of the Iceberg: An Insider's View on the World of Sport and Celebrity. In it he discussed his background, his time at Ohio State and the NFL, and why he retired. He also analyzed the obsession placed on sports stars by the public.
Smith is one of the amateur astronomers
featured in science writer Timothy Ferris
's 2007 PBS program, Seeing in the Dark, based on his 2002 book of the same name.
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...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
who played with the Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
and later with the 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...
of the NFL. While in college, he openly criticized the Ohio State football staff for not allowing him to concentrate on academics as he wanted to go to medical school. He also participated in track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
while at Ohio State. Smith had been the only player to ever win Ohio's Mr. Football Award
Mr. Football Award (Ohio)
The Mr. Football Award has been given out annually since 1987 to the player voted by the Associated Press to be the best high school football player in the state of Ohio...
twice (in 1988 and 1989). Erick Howard has since won the award twice (in 2008 and 2009).
NFL
Smith was selected by the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota 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...
in the first round (21st overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft
1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 25-26, 1993...
. Although he suffered from a number of ailments in his first few seasons, he finally broke through in 1997, gaining 1,266 yards. Smith's finest year as a pro came in the 2000 season
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
, leading the NFC
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
in rushing with 1,521 yards. He retired at the end of the season, despite being at the peak of his career.
In eight NFL seasons, Smith rushed for 6,818 yards and 32 touchdowns, along with 178 receptions for 1,292 yards and 6 touchdowns, and only fumbled nine times. He also returned 1 punt for 4 yards and 19 kickoffs for a total of 460 yards. Smith wore number 20 as a rookie in 1993, but switched to number 26 when it became available in 1994 and wore it until his retirement.
NFL
- Holds the all-time Minnesota Vikings record for most career rushing yards (6,818). (The previous record was 5,887; it was set in 1979 by Chuck ForemanChuck ForemanChuck Foreman is a retired NFL football player.He was a running back during his NFL career, although he often caught passes out of the backfield.-Early career:...
.)
Holds the all-time NFL record for average yards per touchdown run at 27.2
After retirement
Smith retired after only eight seasons in the NFL. He walked away from the game to pursue a career in medicine as well as to avoid any serious injuries. He has maintained a mostly private life since his retirement. He has appeared as a guest on the ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
news program Outside the Lines
Outside the Lines
Outside the Lines, or also referred to as OTL, is an American television program on ESPN that looks "outside the lines" and examines critical issues in American sports on and off the field of play....
, as well as on various ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
programs alongside regulars Rece Davis
Rece Davis
Rece Davis is a sports television journalist for ESPN. Davis works as an anchor on SportsCenter, and host of various other programs on the network.-Early life and career:...
, Mark May
Mark May
Mark Eric May is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He is currently a football analyst for ESPN.-Football career:...
, and Lou Holtz
Lou Holtz
Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz is a retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker in the United States...
. Smith also works on the NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
as an analyst and has appeared on The Score
WSCR
WSCR is a sports radio station in the Chicago, Illinois radio market. The station is owned by CBS Radio and transmits on 670 kHz on the AM dial. Its transmitter is located just off Army Trail Road in Bloomingdale, which is a western suburb of Chicago. It is known as "The Score," and has been on...
to discuss the NFL.
Smith founded the Robert Smith Foundation, a charity whose goal is to "provide financial and moral support for Children's hospitals and cancer research."
Smith made a cameo appearance in the TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
. He was in Season 8 Episode 3 The Mole People
The Mole People
-Plot:The film begins with a narration by Dr. Frank Baxter, an English professor at the University of Southern California, explaining the premise of the movie and its basis in reality...
. He played a scantily clad, mute "hunk" given to Pearl (the series' antagonist) as a present by her minions.
2004 saw publication of Smith's book The Rest of the Iceberg: An Insider's View on the World of Sport and Celebrity. In it he discussed his background, his time at Ohio State and the NFL, and why he retired. He also analyzed the obsession placed on sports stars by the public.
Smith is one of the amateur astronomers
Amateur astronomy
Amateur astronomy, also called backyard astronomy and stargazing, is a hobby whose participants enjoy watching the night sky , and the plethora of objects found in it, mainly with portable telescopes and binoculars...
featured in science writer Timothy Ferris
Timothy Ferris
Timothy Ferris is a science writer and the best-selling author of twelve books, including The Science of Liberty and Coming of Age in the Milky Way , for which he was awarded the American Institute of Physics Prize and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize...
's 2007 PBS program, Seeing in the Dark, based on his 2002 book of the same name.