Steve Smith (wide receiver, born 1985) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Steve Smith

Smith (back) at the Giants' Super Bowl XLII victory rally
No. 12, 11
Position:	Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:	(1985-05-06) May 6, 1985 (age 40) Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:	William Howard Taft (Woodland Hills, California)
College:	USC (2003–2006)
NFL Draft:	2007 / Round: 2 / Pick: 51
Career history
New York Giants (2007–2010) Philadelphia Eagles (2011) St. Louis Rams (2012) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2013)*
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XLII) Pro Bowl (2009) First-team All-American (2006) First-team All-Pac-10 (2006)
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 245 Receiving yards: 2,641 Receiving touchdowns: 12
Player stats at PFR

Steven Smith (born May 6, 1985) is a former professional football player from the United States. He played as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Steve played college football for the University of Southern California (USC). There, he was recognized as an All-American player. The New York Giants chose him in the 2007 NFL draft. He also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Early Life and High School Football

Steve Smith was born in Anchorage, Alaska. He grew up playing football at Taft High School in California. During his time there, he set new state records. He had the most catches (271) and receiving yards (4486) in a high school career. He helped his team, the Toreadors, reach the Los Angeles City Section Championship games twice.

Steve also played in the 2003 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He played alongside future USC teammates like Reggie Bush. Besides football, he was also a high school basketball player.

College Football Career

Smith (#2) in the huddle during a 2006 game.

Steve Smith went to the University of Southern California (USC). He was one of the top wide receivers for the USC Trojans football team. In 2006, he was on the watch list for the Maxwell Award. This award goes to the best player in college football.

He was named to the 2006 All-Pac-10 team First Team. He also received All-American honors from CBS Sportsline. His teammates voted him the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2006. Steve caught three touchdown passes in USC's big win over Oklahoma. This was during the national championship game.

Professional Football Career

Steve Smith was chosen by the New York Giants in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft. He was the 51st player picked overall. He wore jersey number 12 for the Giants.

New York Giants Highlights

In his first year (2007), Steve played in only five games. He had eight catches for 63 yards. But he became a key player in the postseason. He made important catches for quarterback Eli Manning. In Super Bowl XLII, he caught five passes. Four of these were on third down. The Giants won the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots 17-14.

In 2008, Steve became one of Manning's favorite targets. He led the Giants in catches. He helped the team win the NFC East division title.

The 2009 season was a great one for Steve. He started strong and led the NFL in catches and receiving yards early on. In Week 15, he broke a Giants team record. He became the first Giants receiver to have 90 catches in one season. Steve was also chosen as an alternate for the 2010 Pro Bowl. He later played in the Pro Bowl.

Time with Other Teams

On August 10, 2011, Steve Smith signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. He played in nine games for the Eagles. He had 11 catches for 124 yards and one touchdown. He was later placed on injured reserve due to a knee injury.

The St. Louis Rams signed Steve on March 26, 2012. He played nine games for them.

On April 2, 2013, Steve signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He announced his retirement from football on May 29, 2013.

NFL Career Statistics

Personal Life

Steve Smith's brother, Malcolm Smith, is also a football player. Malcolm was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of Super Bowl XLVIII. He played for the Seattle Seahawks.

Steve studied Public Policy/Management and Planning at USC. He was born in Alaska. He grew up in Woodland Hills, California and Canoga Park, California.