Joe Smith (running back) facts for kids

Joseph O'Brien Smith (born August 26, 1979) is a former professional running back from the United States. He played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). In 2007, during his second season with the BC Lions, he set a team record. He became the Lions' all-time single-season rushing leader. He ran for an amazing 1,510 yards that year.

Joe Smith's College Football Journey

Joe Smith was born in Monroe, Louisiana. His hometown is Cleveland, Texas. He played college football as a running back. He first attended the New Mexico Military Institute. Later, he transferred to Louisiana Tech University.

Playing for Louisiana Tech

At Louisiana Tech, Joe played for two years. He ran for 2,189 yards. He also caught passes for 450 yards. In total, he scored 25 touchdowns. In his final year, he was chosen for the first-team All-Western Athletic Conference team. He was also named the offensive Most Valuable Player. Joe earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Louisiana Tech.

Joe Smith's Professional Football Career

After college, Joe Smith started his professional football journey. He played in both the NFL and the CFL.

Starting in the NFL

In 2003, Joe began his career as a free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent 15 weeks on their practice squad. A practice squad is where players train with the team but are not on the main roster. He was later released from the team.

In 2005, Joe had a short time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After that, he signed with the Tennessee Titans. He was then sent to the Rhein Fire team in NFL Europa. This league was a European version of the NFL. There, he became the team's main running back.

Success in the CFL with the BC Lions

Joe Smith joined the BC Lions in May 2006. He signed as a free agent. He became the team's starting running back in July. This happened after the previous starter, Antonio Warren, was released.

During the 2006 season, Joe played 14 games for the Lions. He ran the ball 166 times for 887 yards. He scored 9 touchdowns by running. He also caught 51 passes for 420 yards and one touchdown. He only fumbled the ball twice.

Winning the Grey Cup

In the 94th Grey Cup game in 2006, Joe had a great performance. He rushed for 116 yards on 9 carries. The BC Lions won this championship game. They beat the Montreal Alouettes with a score of 25–14.

Breaking Rushing Records

The 2007 CFL season was a standout year for Joe Smith. He broke a team record held by former Lion great Cory Philpot. Joe rushed for 1,510 yards that season. He set this new single-season rushing record in a game on October 28 against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Joe finished the 2007 season as the CFL's top rusher. He also led the league in rushing touchdowns with 18. For his amazing performance, he was named a CFL All-Star. He also won the Eddie James Memorial Trophy. This award is given to the leading rusher in the Western Division.

Moving to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers

On September 1, 2008, Joe Smith was traded. He moved to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. In return, the BC Lions received running back Charles Roberts. Joe was released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on June 25, 2009.

Joe Smith's Career Statistics

Here are some of Joe Smith's professional football statistics: