Antowain Smith facts for kids
Smith during a Houston Texans preseason game in 2006
|
|||||||||||||
| No. 23, 32 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | March 14, 1972 Millbrook, Alabama, U.S. |
||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 232 lb (105 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Stanhope Elmore (Millbrook) | ||||||||||||
| College: | East Mississippi JC (1993–1994) Houston (1995–1996) |
||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1997 / Round: 1 / Pick: 23 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Antowain Drurell Smith (born March 14, 1972) is a former American football player. He was a powerful running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. Smith is best known for winning two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. He also played for the Buffalo Bills. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 232 pounds, Smith was known for his strong running style. He was very good at running with the ball right through the middle of the defense.
Contents
Antowain Smith's Football Journey
Early Life and High School
Antowain Smith grew up in Millbrook, Alabama. He went to Stanhope Elmore High School. Interestingly, he only started playing football in his last year of high school.
College Days
After high school, Smith worked in a factory for two years. Then, in 1993, he decided to go to East Mississippi Junior College. There, he became an amazing running back and was named a JUCO All-American.
In 1995, Smith moved to the University of Houston. He played two seasons for the Houston Cougars football team. During his time at Houston, he ran for 1,847 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. He even set a school record with a 96-yard touchdown run! In one game, he scored six touchdowns, which is also a record.
In his final college year, Smith ran for 1,239 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also caught 28 passes for 201 yards and another score.
NFL Career Highlights
Antowain Smith was chosen in the first round of the 1997 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills. In his first year, he ran for 840 yards and scored 8 touchdowns. The next season, he ran for over 1,100 yards and scored 8 times again. However, his team lost in the playoffs. The 1999 season was a bit tough for him, but he still scored 6 touchdowns. In 2000, his playing time decreased.
Smith's career really took off when he joined the New England Patriots in 2001. He had a fantastic season, running for 1,157 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns. He also helped the Patriots win Super Bowl XXXVI. Many fans remember him as the first Patriots player to run onto the field after Adam Vinatieri kicked the game-winning field goal.
In 2002, his rushing yards went down a bit, but he became more involved in catching passes. In 2003, his final year with the Patriots, he led the team in rushing. He played great in the playoffs that year, helping the Patriots win their second Super Bowl, Super Bowl XXXVIII.
After leaving the Patriots, Smith played for the Tennessee Titans in 2004. He ran for 509 yards that season. In 2005, he played his last NFL season with the New Orleans Saints, running for 659 yards.
Throughout his nine-season career, Antowain Smith played in 131 games. He ran for a total of 6,881 yards and scored 54 touchdowns. These numbers place him among the top running backs in NFL history.
