Steve Smith Sr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Steve Smith Sr.

Smith in 2015
No. 89
Position:	Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:	(1979-05-12) May 12, 1979 (age 46) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:	University (Los Angeles)
College:	Santa Monica (1997–1998) Utah (1999–2000)
NFL Draft:	2001 / Round: 3 / Pick: 74
Career history
Carolina Panthers (2001) Baltimore Ravens (2014)
Career highlights and awards
NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2005) 2× First-team All-Pro (2001, 2005) 2× Second-team All-Pro (2008, 2011) 5× Pro Bowl (2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011) NFL receptions co-leader (2005) NFL receiving yards leader (2005) NFL receiving touchdowns co-leader (2005) PFWA All-Rookie Team (2001) Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor First-team All-MW (1999) Second-team All-MW (2000) North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 1,031 Receiving yards: 14,731 Receiving touchdowns: 81 Return yards: 4,055 Return touchdowns: 6
Player stats at PFR

Stevonne Latrall Smith Sr. (born May 12, 1979), known as Steve Smith, is an American sportscaster and former professional football player. He played as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Smith played for the Carolina Panthers for thirteen seasons and the Baltimore Ravens for three seasons.

He played college football for the Utah Utes. The Panthers picked him in the third round of the 2001 NFL draft. After retiring from playing, Smith became a sports analyst and TV host for NFL Network.

Smith was chosen for the Pro Bowl five times and was a four-time All-Pro player. In 2005, he led the NFL in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns. He is the Panthers' all-time leader in total touchdowns (67), receptions (836), and receiving yards (12,197). When he retired, he was among the top players in NFL history for career all-purpose yards, receiving yards, and receptions.

Early Life and High School Sports

Steve Smith went to University High School in Los Angeles. He was a top athlete in both football and track & field. In football, he played running back and defensive back. He was chosen for the All-Metro League and All-California Interscholastic Federation teams. Smith finished high school in 1997.

In track & field, he set school records. He was an All-City selection in high-hurdles. He also did well in the triple jump and 300m hurdles.

College Football Career

After high school, Smith attended Santa Monica College. He quickly became a talented football player for the Santa Monica Corsairs. He even earned a starting spot. During this time, he played with future NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson.

His coach, Robert Taylor, encouraged Smith to play for a scholarship. This would help him get a better education at a Division-I school. Smith took this advice seriously. He did well in his classes and never missed a day.

After two years, Smith transferred to the University of Utah. He became a star wideout for the Utah Utes football team. He set a record for yards per catch with a 20.6 average. He was chosen for the conference's all-star team twice. In his first year, he ranked 4th in the NCAA for punt return yards. He finished his time at Utah with 78 catches for 1,608 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also had 1,365 return yards and 4 touchdowns on special teams.

Steve and his wife have since created a scholarship for athletes at the University of Utah.

Professional Football Career

Playing for the Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers picked Steve Smith in the third round of the 2001 NFL draft. He was the 74th player chosen overall.

Rookie Season and Early Success

In his rookie year (2001), Smith mostly played as a kick and punt returner. He led all rookies with 1,994 total yards. In his very first professional play, Smith returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. He also had 10 catches for 154 yards.

In 2002, Smith became a starting wide receiver. He also continued to return kicks and punts. He led the NFL with 55 punt returns and two punt return touchdowns.

Super Bowl Appearance and Comeback Player

In 2003, Smith helped the Panthers reach their first NFC title. He had 88 catches for 1,110 yards and 7 touchdowns. In the playoffs, he caught a 69-yard touchdown pass in double overtime to beat the St. Louis Rams. In Super Bowl XXXVIII, he caught 4 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers lost a close game to the New England Patriots.

Smith broke his leg in the first game of the 2004 season. He missed the rest of the year.

Smith with the Panthers in October 2006

In 2005, Smith had his best season after recovering from his injury. He led the NFL in receptions (103), receiving yards (1,563), and receiving touchdowns (12). This is called the "Triple Crown" of receiving. He was only the third player to do this in the Super Bowl era. Smith also did great in the playoffs. He was named the 2005 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Later Years with the Panthers

Smith continued to be a star for the Panthers. In 2006, he had 83 catches for 1,186 yards and 8 touchdowns. He was invited to the 2007 Pro Bowl. In 2008, despite a two-game suspension, he had 78 catches for 1,421 yards and 6 touchdowns. He led the NFL in receiving yards per game.

In 2009, Smith broke his left forearm. He finished the year with 982 yards. The 2010 season was tough for the Panthers, and Smith's numbers were lower. However, in 2011, he had a strong comeback. He gained 1,394 yards and was selected to his fifth Pro Bowl. In 2012, he had 73 catches for 1,174 yards. In 2013, he reached his 800th career reception. The Panthers released Smith on March 13, 2014.

Playing for the Baltimore Ravens

Smith catching a pass for the Baltimore Ravens in a game against the Cleveland Browns in September 2014

Smith with the Ravens in 2014

On March 14, 2014, Smith signed a three-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. In his first game with the Ravens, he caught 7 passes for 118 yards and an 80-yard touchdown. In Week 4, Smith played against his old team, the Panthers. He had 7 catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns as the Ravens won 38–10.

Smith finished the 2014 season with 79 receptions, 1,065 yards, and 6 touchdowns. In the playoffs, he helped the Ravens beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. Their season ended in a loss to the New England Patriots.

Final Seasons and Retirement

Before the 2015 season, Smith announced it would be his last. However, he suffered a torn achilles tendon in Week 8. This injury ended his season early. He had 46 catches for 670 yards and three touchdowns in seven games.

On December 30, 2015, Smith decided to return for the 2016 season. He had another good year, with 70 catches for 799 yards and 5 touchdowns. In Week 4, he passed Andre Johnson to become the NFL's active leader in receiving yards. Smith also reached 1,000 career receptions, becoming the 14th player to do so. On January 2, 2017, Steve Smith officially retired from the NFL. He retired with 1,031 receptions, 14,731 yards, and 81 touchdowns.

NFL Career Statistics

Career Achievements and Records

Steve Smith achieved many great things during his NFL career:

• In 2001, he was the first rookie special teams player to make the Pro Bowl since 1993.
• In 2003, his 404 postseason receiving yards were the second most ever.
• In 2005, he became the first player since 1984 to lead the NFL in receptions for a team that ran the ball more than it passed.
• Also in 2005, Smith won the NFL's receiving "triple crown." He led the league in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.
• In 2008, he was the only player to lead the league in receiving yards per game while on an offense that passed the least.
• Smith and Hall of Famer Tim Brown are the only players with at least 1,000 receptions and touchdowns from runs, catches, punt returns, and kick returns.
• He is one of only three players to return two punts for touchdowns and catch a touchdown pass in the same game.
• He is the all-time Panthers leader in receiving yards (12,197).
• He caught his 1,000th career reception on November 20, 2016.

Panthers Franchise Records

As of 2017, Steve Smith held at least 72 Panthers records, including:

• Most receptions in a career (836), season (103 in 2005), and game (14).
• Most receiving yards in a career (12,197), season (1,563 in 2005), and game (201).
• Most receiving touchdowns in a career (67).
• Most total touchdowns in a career (75).
• Most all-purpose yards in a career (16,607) and season (1,994 in 2001).
• Most punt return touchdowns in a career (4).
• Most games with 100+ receiving yards in a career (46) and season (10 in 2005).
• Most seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards (7).

Ravens Franchise Records

• Most receptions per game in a career (5.3) and season (6.6 in 2015).
• Most receiving yards per game in a season (95.7 in 2015).

Broadcasting Career

One month after retiring from the NFL, Smith signed a contract to become an analyst for NFL Network.

Before the 2021 Carolina Panthers season, Smith joined the Panthers' broadcast team. He called preseason games, which was his first time calling a game live.

Since 2022, Smith has hosted NFL's Most Interesting Jobs on the NFL's YouTube channel. In this series, he visits NFL teams to show the work done by support staff. This includes chefs, nutritionists, coaching staff, and equipment managers.

In 2023, on his podcast Cut to It, Smith called Jerry Jeudy of the Denver Broncos "JAG" (just a guy). Smith later tried to apologize to Jeudy on NFL Network, but Jeudy refused to talk to him. Smith then spoke about Jeudy on air, which became very popular online. He later apologized to Jeudy on The Pat McAfee Show.

Personal Life and Charity Work

In May 2008, Smith bought a large share in a sports training center in Charlotte.

Smith is an Evangelical Christian. In 2007, he went on a trip to Togo and Nigeria. He spoke to soccer players about Jesus.

Before every away game, Smith and his family donated shoes to people experiencing homelessness. He would also wash their feet. His goal is to give out half a million pairs of shoes. He works with Samaritan's Feet for this project. He plans to expand this effort globally after football.

Smith and his wife, Angie, have four children: Peyton, Baylee, Boston, and Steve Jr. Smith changed the name on his jersey to Smith Sr. when his son, Steve Jr. (nicknamed "Deuce"), was born.

In 2017, it was reported that Smith secretly paid for the full college tuition of Twitter personality Elexus Jionde. He said it was about "paying it forward to someone else."

In 2019, Smith played in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. He was part of the "Home" team, made up of celebrities from the Carolinas.

On July 9, 2019, the Panthers announced that Smith would be inducted into the team's Hall of Honor. He joined Jake Delhomme, Jordan Gross, and Wesley Walls.

Images for kids

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  Smith in 2015

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  Smith with the Panthers in October 2006

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  Smith catching a pass for the Baltimore Ravens in a game against the Cleveland Browns in September 2014

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  Smith with the Ravens in 2014