Malcolm Smith (American football) facts for kids
Smith with USC in 2010
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born: | July 5, 1989 Woodland Hills, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school: | William Howard Taft (Woodland Hills, California) |
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| College: | USC (2007–2010) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2011 / Round: 7 / Pick: 242 | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||||
Malcolm Xavier Smith (born July 5, 1989) is a former American football player. He was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). Malcolm played college football for the USC Trojans. The Seattle Seahawks picked him in the 2011 NFL Draft. He became the MVP of Super Bowl XLVIII. This happened after the Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos.
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Early Life and High School Football
Malcolm Smith went to William Howard Taft High School. He was a star in both football and track. In 2004, as a sophomore, he helped Taft win the L.A. City football title. He gained over 800 yards and scored 8 touchdowns. He also made 2 interceptions.
As a junior in 2005, he continued to shine. He made 41 tackles and 2 sacks. He also ran for 639 yards and 10 touchdowns. He caught 27 passes for 411 yards and 7 scores. Taft was the L.A. City runner-up that year.
In his final year (2006), he had 31 tackles and 10 sacks. He also ran for 919 yards and 15 touchdowns. This was despite missing the first half of the season due to a leg injury.
Track and Field Star
Malcolm was also a great sprinter for the Taft High track & field team. He ran in the 100m and 200m races. He ran the 100-meter dash in 10.8 seconds as a junior. He ran the 200-meter dash in 22.39 seconds as a senior. He could also run the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds.
Many top colleges offered him football scholarships. These included Notre Dame, California, and Michigan.
College Football Career
Malcolm Smith went to the University of Southern California (USC) to play college football. As a freshman in 2007, he played in all 13 games. He was a backup linebacker and played on special teams. He ended the year with six tackles.
In 2008, as a sophomore, he again played as a backup and on special teams. He made 18 tackles in 13 games. In 2009, he helped USC beat their rival UCLA Bruins 28–7. Smith made a 62-yard interception return for a touchdown. This play earned him a "National Defensive Player of the Week" award.
Professional NFL Career
Joining the Seattle Seahawks
Malcolm Smith entered the 2011 NFL Draft. The Seattle Seahawks picked him in the seventh round. He was the 242nd player chosen overall. This meant he got to play for his former college coach, Pete Carroll, again.
In July 2011, Smith signed a four-year contract with the Seahawks. He started as a backup outside linebacker. He made his first NFL appearance in September 2011. In November, he made his first career sack and forced a fumble. He finished his first year with 16 tackles and one sack.
Becoming a Starter and Super Bowl XLVIII MVP
In 2012, Smith continued to play as a backup and on special teams. He made his first start in December 2012. The Seahawks made the playoffs that year. Smith played in both playoff games.
In 2013, Smith became a starting weakside linebacker. He played well, making 54 tackles and one sack. He also had two interceptions and scored his first touchdown. He returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown against the St. Louis Rams.
The Seahawks had a great season in 2013. They reached the NFC Championship Game. Smith made a key interception against the San Francisco 49ers. This play sealed the Seahawks' 23–17 victory.
On February 2, 2014, the Seahawks played the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. Smith had an amazing game. He made ten tackles and recovered a fumble. He also intercepted a pass from Peyton Manning and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown. The Seahawks won 43–8. For his outstanding performance, Malcolm Smith was named the Super Bowl MVP. He was the first defensive player to win this award in over a decade.
Final Season with Seahawks
In 2014, Smith returned to a backup role. He still played in 14 games and started five. He made 38 tackles and forced two fumbles. The Seahawks again reached the Super Bowl, Super Bowl XLIX. However, they lost to the New England Patriots.
Playing for the Oakland Raiders
On March 10, 2015, Smith signed with the Oakland Raiders. He reunited with his former coach, Ken Norton Jr.. He became the starting weakside linebacker for the Raiders. In October 2015, he had 11 tackles, a sack, and an interception. He finished the 2015 season with a career-high 122 tackles and four sacks.
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In 2016, Smith continued as a starter for the Raiders. He played in 15 games and made 103 tackles. He also had an interception.
Later NFL Teams
In 2017, Smith signed with the San Francisco 49ers. Sadly, he tore a muscle during training camp and missed the entire season. He played in 12 games in 2018 before being released in 2019.
Later in 2019, he briefly played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and then the Dallas Cowboys. He played two games for each team.
Time with the Cleveland Browns
Smith signed with the Cleveland Browns in August 2020. In his first season with the Browns, he made an interception against the Washington Football Team. He played in 15 games and had 72 tackles. He re-signed with the Browns in 2021. He played in 15 more games, making 51 tackles and two interceptions.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won the Super Bowl | |
| Super Bowl MVP | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Fumbles | Interceptions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | FF | FR | Yds | TD | Int | Yds | Lng | TD | PD | ||
| 2011 | SEA | 12 | 0 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | SEA | 16 | 3 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2013 | SEA | 15 | 8 | 54 | 34 | 20 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 69 | 37 | 1 | 4 |
| 2014 | SEA | 14 | 5 | 38 | 27 | 10 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2015 | OAK | 16 | 16 | 122 | 99 | 23 | 4.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 6 |
| 2016 | OAK | 15 | 14 | 103 | 86 | 17 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2017 | SF | 0 | 0 | did not play due to injury | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | SF | 12 | 5 | 35 | 22 | 13 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2019 | JAX | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DAL | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020 | CLE | 15 | 4 | 72 | 49 | 23 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2021 | CLE | 15 | 6 | 51 | 32 | 19 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Career | 134 | 62 | 518 | 376 | 142 | 7.0 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 99 | 37 | 1 | 24 | |
Personal Life and Health
Malcolm Smith's brother, Steve Smith, also played football. Steve was a wide receiver for teams like the New York Giants.
Malcolm has a rare health condition called achalasia. This affects his esophagus, which is the tube that carries food to the stomach. It makes it hard for food to move down properly. He started having problems around 2009, losing weight because food would get stuck. He had a surgery called a Heller myotomy to help. He still has to eat slowly and carefully because of this condition.
