Earlier this week the Pro Football Hall of Fame released its preliminary list of candidates for induction in 2012.
There are 102 candidates on this list, which will be whittled down to 25 in mid-November, then to the final list of 15 which will be voted on by the selection committee the Saturday before the Super Bowl in Indianapolis.
Everyone on this list has had notable accomplishments. That’s how they made the list. On the list for the first time is wide receiver Rod Smith.
The easiest guy to overlook is somebody named Smith, but that should not happen in the case of the prolific Denver Broncos wide receiver.
The National Football League is a complete meritocracy. The best players play, regardless of whether one was the very first selection in the draft or a completely ignored, undrafted player—like Rod Smith.
When the 1994 college draft took place the 32 NFL teams selected 29 wide receivers, but none took a flyer on Smith, coming out of Missouri Southern with a triple major off the field and unbridled passion to succeed on it.
The Broncos signed Smith as a “UFA”—undrafted free agent, in football lingo.
There are 14 current members of the Hall of Fame who were undrafted, and Smith is deserving of being number 15 on that distinguished list.
Wide receiver is a position at which a lot of players accumulate a lot of stats in this day and age, so the question is, what distinguishes Rod Smith, what separates him from the pack?
Consider this:
Of all the wide receivers who have ever played pro football, Rod Smith is one of just two—and Jerry Rice is the only other—to have accumulated over 11,000 receiving yards, over 800 receptions, over 60 touchdowns, while also averaging 10 or more wins a year, and also winning multiple Super Bowls.
Just think—everyone is eligible, but it has only been done twice.
Once by Jerry Rice.
Once by Rod Smith.
That’s the complete list.
Smith’s exact stats upon retirement were 11,389 yards on 849 catches for 68 TDs and a 10.5 yard per catch average. Meanwhile, he was a vital contributor to a Broncos team that went 126-70 (a .643 percentage) from 1995 through 2006.
The Broncos of course won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998 and had a 33-6 record for those two years. Just chew on that record awhile and let it sink in.
To top it off, Smith was a team captain and one of the greatest leaders I have ever had the privilege of being around in 34 NFL years. He was the captain’s captain. All about team.
The wins, the team success, are what separate Rod Smith’s stats from those being put up by a lot of players in lesser situations.
It’s a results-oriented business, right? It’s all about winning, right?
Not only are his stats the greatest ever posted by a free agent in NFL history, but he did them all as he helped his team reach the only goal there is—to go to and win the Super Bowl, in his case, back to back.
When you are a wide receiver and a member of an exclusive club that only has two members, and the other one is Jerry Rice, you are sailing in the stratosphere of accomplishment.
Those are the stats, and they make Rod Smith a worthy addition to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Tags: Hall of Fame, Jim Saccomano, Rod Smith
Loved his contribution and would love to see him around more!
GreenBay will crush the little Orton… FOX will tell the media “that Orton’s still our man”. Joe Ellis continues to run the team like Scrooge.. Elway will tell media “I’m glad the team didn’t give up on me after 4 weeks.” Yo John, Orton is a 7 year vet.. You were a rookie… Bad comparison.. That’s Elway for bringing Wade Phillips back to Denver.
Darn straight they do, Smith deserves the HOF.
Wow, I always liked Smith, and loved watching him play. I did not, however, know that he could be compared to Rice. That’s AWESOME!! Congrats to him on making the list. He should be a shoe in. Semper Broncos!
Rod deserves and WILL be in the HoF!
I bet he would like EFX to….
Bench Orton
Bench Orton
Bench Orton
PLEASE!
To the Darn we would be better without all the injuries people:
How many players did Green Bay have injured last season? Like 50? Their coaching staff adapted the games plans to their personal and won a superbowl.. FOX HISTORY INFO: The reason why he was NEVER HAD BACK TO BACK WINNING SEASONS, is because when his teams suffer injuries HE CAN’T ADAPT.. So for a FOX lead team to have a winning season, there must be no key injuries and a few balls must bounce his way.. Great, that happens alot…
MAYBE FOX should hire ROD SMITH to be our o/c.. I mean he brings passion and a work ethic… Man I wish Elway would have given our gig to Dennison…..
Dennison head coach, Smith o/c, TD coaching the backs, and ROMO the new D/C.. Sharpe put him in charge of SMACK.
hell yea in Rod we trust definitely deserving of the HoF! Just as much with TD! seventh round RB went to tear it up and win 2 super bowls, mvp and 2000 yards what else could you accomplish in the NFL?
Anybody know if Rod is interested in coaching? I know TD is a football coach.
wow…after only 3 games people are calling for Fox’s head…..CRAZY…..
Anyways…to the news at hand, my man ROD SMITH!! Come on people lets get this guy in the HALL OF FAME. He was a great WR and without him we would have had a heck of a time competing the way we did for so long. Go ROD go!!!!
Calling for Fox’s head? I would have never hired the bum.
And thats clearly why your not the head of any football operations.
You don’t gotta sell him to us. Rod Smith is the man hands down, Doesn’t matter when you were taken as long as you can produce.
The most impressive thing about him was he didn’t necessarily have elite speed, hands, leaping ability, spectacular catches, talent etc … but he had enough and he had the most important thing — elite work ethic. A man who came to the lockerroom everyday never sure if he was on the roster, checking to see if he was cut and when he wasn’t worked harder to make sure he never did get cut. He never took the priviledge of playing in the NFL for granted. He was the man, and is the man and is a very devoted Bronco. Still hangs around and when I heard he was working with Marshall I was excited, it was like having 2 of my fave receivers together. Didn’t quite work out but thats the guy Rod smith is. Always willing to help in anyway for this team to succeed. Hats off to him. He is a Hall of famer in my book on the field and off it. Ask the Packers and Falcons what they think about him. TRB
PS: 33-6 in 2 years … oh how the mighty have fallen. Now the best chance to win in Denver is a mediocre QB and an 8-8 record. Sad times indeed.
The guy stuck with Delhomme for a very long time. Is this a sign of things to come?
If you see a cliff approaching do you? a) drive off b) stop c) change your course d) panic….. If your Fox your answer is A. Orton would choose D.
Looks like the whole Fox experiement is headed for a crash.. Unless he gets LUCK. But Fox hasn’t been that Lucky since his wedding night.
U were there? LMFAO
Calm down armadillo Orton … I wish Dennison got it too, he was a Bronco through and through but you cannot deny what fox has done here in such a short time and no lockout. EFX has drafted a nice crop of young rookies and I think Dennis Allen is just the man straight up. If anything needs to change it is McCoy and Orton, the last straggling errors of the McD era. If we coulda gotten Rico (Dennison) as a OC/Assitant HC or something woulda been awesome. But he is already an OC in Houston with a HC he knows and trusts. But he wants to come back to Denver I bet. We just had no room to take a chance on a first time HC. We needed fox and we still do. He will restore stability to the franchise … sadly he will do it in a long and boring old fashioned way. Orton is the problem … but alas, he has us by the nuts in a sense, not to mention Tebows contract. TRB
He amadillo Orton, one more thing … I am with you on the dislike of Orton and what this franchise considers acceptable now a days. But you are definitely starting to sound like a negative nancy if on a Rod Smith blog you cannot take out 30 secs from you crussade to write something possitive about the man. TRB
I remember when Rod Smith made the team in 1995 and thinking, why the heck are they keeping that guy? Thought the same thing the next season, then BAM!, he was NFL ready. What a pleasure it was to him perform his magic on the field. Crafty is the way I’d describe him, you always were wondering how the heck did he get so wide open? An amazing player deserving of the HOF. Thanks for the great post Jim, you’re the best in the NFL at what you do. Go Broncos!
Hope your face isn’t as ugly as your mouth armadillo_orton. Phew! LOL
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d822ab287/article/passing-game-is-changing-football-but-might-not-be-for-better?module=HP11_content_stream
There is a lot of info in this link. Video and article. I myself, listen to what Billick has to say, and why? He would know, more than most, what happens when the game passes you by and you become ineffective. He took a shot at himself in this article and I think that alone deserves some, “you have cahones” points from me.
I thought Rod Smith had been minorly involved with the team, a few times in the off season?
Good luck Rod – I too didn’t realise you had such great stats. Man had everything. Along with TD, must get in.
Been so busy at work, only just had the energy to go back through the blogs for the prediction result (was too depressed to check earlier as well). Thanks again Bay for having the committment to do all that work even after another defeat.
Haven’t seen anyone elses predictions, but it’s a prediction game, not a ‘hope’ game, so surely everyone has gone against us this week.
Packers 31 – 10 Broncos (probably more pick 6′s then offence against us)
UK no faith until Orton goes…..
Thanks Jim!! Reading your article made chills run up my spine and give me the goose bumps!! I long for the Rod Smith days and ways… We were Champions once…. We were contenders!!!
Wouldn’t that be great if Rod and TD both got into the HOF this year!!!!!
Man I love me some Rod and TD!!!!!!!!
ILMSDB!!!!
Pick 6′s and / or orton fumbles returned for 6
#80 definitely deserves to be in HOF. I loved watching Elway toss the ball to Smith and tear up opposing Ds.
I also did not know he had numbers comparible to only Jerry Rice.
Congrats Rod!
Would love to see Atwater and Gradishar in as well. TD and Reeves too. TD deserves it for his accomplishments. If Gail Sayers is in there with a shortened career, why not TD? He’s got Superbowl wins under his belt.
Go Broncos!!!
Thanks for backing up Rod to the Hall Jim, I hope you drop that letter on the voting committee’s table.
Rod was one of the main man for me, I have his jersey and his autographed picture in my Bronco album. Outstanding athlete and person, he belongs in the Hall.
Now if only Gradishar made it in, that would right an incredible wrong, I would imagine you probably have come up with eye popping stats about him and sent it to Canton but so far to no avail, what a shame, and if you haven’t please do so. A guy who recorded well over 200 tackles in six different years, a feat never ever accomplished even just once by any other Bronco ever (200 tackles or more in a year). It’s a joke he is not in. TD and Atwater maybe, but Gradishar surely, at least that’s what I always thought, shame on the Hall, hopefully he gets in as an oldtimer like Little.
Gradishar led the team in tackles for an incredible 9 years in a row:
1975 177
76 198
77 219
78 286!!!!
79 235
80 250
81 258
82 151
83 224
And I repeat, no Bronco other than him has ever recorded 200 or more tackles in a season!
How do DJ’s numbers look now, LOL.
Those numbers are not even humanly possible in the NFL anymore … not even by the tackling machine Patrick Willis. TRB
look like…
Well like this:
Years DJ led the team
2004 114
07 170
09 122
10 119
That’s why I’m always here trying to explain to the young fans the incredible things Gradishar did. The game was different, yes, but he still led everybody by miles in his era too.
those numbers are only gonna keep decreasing seeing as how the NFL has been slowing moving into a passing league since the days of Grandishar. TRB
Please call the man by his right name, he earned it, LOL
By example in those days the only time Tom Jackson led the team in tackles was the year before Randy took over and he recorded 119 tackles.
My mistake … dunno where I got the n from.
YEAH Go Rod!!!!!
He will be in the HOF but would be super sweet if it was in his first year of eligibility. Definitely deserves it, without any doubt. You the man Rod!! lol
Impeccable person on & off the field like I’ve never seen in a football player. The HOF isn’t worthy of this great guy but that shouldn’t stop them from inducting him! haha
Hope Rod Smith makes the HOF,he deserves it,but probably won’t make it,very few Broncos do…best WR to ever play for the Broncos period!!
Great article Jim. Anyone else remember that Washington game his first year on the active roster when he caught the touchdown pass right at the end of the game to win it? He was not the fastest, strongest, or best hands, or jumping ability, but very few wide outs could run better routes than he could and his work ethic was legendary.
I too had no idea he compared statistically to Rice, though I knew he was topps among undrafted free agents. As much as I would love to see him (and he truly deserves it) voted in as a first ballot HOF’mer, but we all know that the committee will not vote him in at all this year and will resist in future years as well. A true shame as he epitomizes what an NFL player should be better than many allready in the hall.
Now I know I dont post very often (read these things almost daily though) but I have to chime in on the quarterback situation. It seems to me that we the fans are being far to critical of Orton, he is not the only reason we lost 2 out of 3 games so far. Far from it, though he has made more than his share of mistakes. I instead will focus on something that gives me hope when I watch this team play, the improved play of the defense and the improving special teams and running games (still need work, but already much improved over the wannabe coach who will not be named). Just remember that the up and down play we are seeing is typical of a team undergoing major changes and benching one player will not fix that, in fact benching your most experienced QB might fall under be careful what you wish for. Oh and for all those that want to see what Tebow can do? Start watching next year. If he had the offense down this year, he’d likely be starting and Ortons contract evaporates at the end of this season so one way or another we’ll eventually get to see him (unless they trade him). Sorry for the long rant, been working 70 hour weeks and having to dvr our games along with all the negativity on here is just getting to me.
I think you Are right Bay Gradishar should be the first of these four to go in,Randy Gradishar Terrell Davis Hot Rod Smith and Steve Atwater the Stats are what counts more than How long it took to do it as in TDs case…Cmon Man!!! TD accomplished virtually every thing Faulk did in a shorter career and no one has eclipsed his playoff stats..Hot Rod what can You say???Only Jerry was better….ever!!! and I think Christian Okoye still has a Tick from the Hit heard round the world Jeeeeeeeeezzzzz!! I wish they(the HOF) would put these guys in the way the Kelly led Bills got in correct me if Im wrong but didnt they leave their rings at the dance???5 times….the mind wobbles,
Crush, thanks on behalf of Randy, glad at least one other blogger voiced that.
Rod was my favourite player simply because of the way he was. He has always been the complete professional and complete team player. No boasting, no bad behaviour, just total dedication. Just the best Bronco there has ever been.
Personally I don’t care about the Hall of Fame because there is too much of Hollywood about it and not enough football. To me Rod is an all time great Bronco and does not need a load of people to vote for him years after the event. He is our main man and all Bronco’s fans are proud of him.
Yeah Bay and to think he did it in a shorter season….But that thing I said about the Bills….still mystifies me,
OH and CRAYZRIDER you are correct sir. And just how the heck did he always get that wide open….Who’s that runnin by your Safety? Oh yeah, its Hot Rod and you are now looking mighty average. He played amazing ON and off the field, Thanks Mr. Smith..And yeah, we do still need you around.
Bay, don’t forget big Randy also had interceptions, caused fumbles, had sacks and I believe scored a few touchdowns in his career with the Broncs could you share those stats too? Jim thanks as always you shed some light on the dark , I, as others, knew Rod was good but Jerry Rice good, HELL YEAH, HOF 1st time. When I was at super bowl 32 I was sitting real close to where Steve made his big impact felt in the 4th quarter, I swear you could feel the air move when he made hits, like an explosion. TD what else can you say superbowl MVP, league MVP, 2000+ yards in a season what are you waiting for selection committee. GO BRONCOS, WE STLL LOVE YA.
mercedes…
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