Stevonne Latrall Smith Sr. (born May 12, 1979), better known as Steve Smith, is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers. He played college football for the Utah Utes and was selected by the Panthers in the third round of the 2001 NFL draft. Smith spent 13 seasons in Carolina and three with the Baltimore Ravens. After retiring from the NFL, Smith became a sports analyst and show host for NFL Network.
A five-time Pro Bowl selection and four-time All-Pro (including a 2011 Pro Football Focus) selection. Smith emerged as one of the NFL's most productive wide receivers in history, leading the league in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns in 2005. At the time of his retirement, Smith ranked 7th in NFL career all-purpose yards (19,180), 7th in NFL career receiving yards (14,731) (6th among wide receivers all-time), 12th in career receptions (1,031), and 25th in receiving touchdowns (81). Smith amassed (89) total touchdowns in the regular season and (100) total touchdowns including the postseason. Smith emerged as one of the most statistically efficient wide receivers of all-time, in the 2005 NFL season, Smith became the only player in NFL history to lead the league in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and receptions (receiving triple crown) despite being on a team that was ranked (28th) in pass attempts. In the 2008 NFL season Smith became the only player in NFL history to lead the league in receiving yards per game despite being on an offense that was last in pass attempts. In 2008, Smith produced the highest yards per team pass attempt (RY/TPA) in the modern era with a rating of (4.03). Smith also has the highest yards per route run (YPRR) in NFL history with a rating of (3.87) from 2008. At the time of his retirement Smith was tied for 4th in 100-yard receiving games all-time (51) & is currently tied for 5th all-time alongside hall of famers Andre Johnson and Terrell Owens. Smith’s dominance extended into the postseason, where he holds the NFL record for the highest career receiving yards per game average (91.0) among players with a minimum of 10 playoff games Wesseling, Chris. "The Definitive Hall of Fame Case for Steve Smith." NFL.com. 12 August 2015. https://www.nfl.com/news/the-definitive-hall-of-fame-case-for-steve-smith-0ap3000000509117 and the NFL record for most receiving yards (739) through a player's first seven playoff games.StatMuse. "What wide receiver had the most receiving yards in the playoffs through his first 7 games." StatMuse, https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/what-wide-receiver-had-the-most-receiving-yards-in-the-playoffs-through-his-first-7-games.
Early life Smith attended University High School in Los Angeles, and was a letterman in football and track & field. In football, he played running back and defensive back, and was an All-Metro League selection as well as an All-California Interscholastic Federation selection. Smith graduated from University High School in 1997.
In track & field, he set a handful of school records, was named as an All-City selection as a high-hurdler, and also excelled in the triple jump and 300m hurdles. He had personal-bests of 14.95 seconds in the 110m hurdles and 38.73 seconds in the 300m hurdles.
College career After graduating from high school, Smith attended Santa Monica College. While playing for the Santa Monica Corsairs football team, Smith was noticed to be a talented football player, and earned a starting position. During this time, Smith was teammates with future NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson, surprising fans of the small college team with their unexpected talents.
While impressing spectators with his performance on the football field, Santa Monica's head coach, Robert Taylor, encouraged Smith to not play for riches or fame, but to play so that he might earn a scholarship to a Division-I school, where he could receive a better education. He also advised Smith and Johnson to not do touchdown celebrations and as Smith said, "they put the cuffs on us." Smith took Taylor's advice to heart, and excelled in his academics, not missing a single day of classes while attending Santa Monica.
After completing two years at Santa Monica College, Smith transferred to the University of Utah, where he established himself as a standout wideout for the Utah Utes football team in the Mountain West Conference where he was a teammate of future NFL running back Mike Anderson. While at the University of Utah, Smith set a record for yards per catch with a 20.6 average, and was chosen to play for the conference's all-star team twice. In his first season on the team, he ranked 4th in the NCAA in both punt return yards (495) and yard per return (17.1). However, he missed their bowl game in his final season due to injury. After the Blue–Gray All-Star game on December 25, 2000, Smith began to receive attention from various NFL scouts. He was named offensive MVP of the January 13, 2001, East–West Shrine Game. Smith finished his time at Utah with 78 receptions for 1,608 yards and 12 touchdowns, with another 1,365 return yards and 4 touchdowns on special teams.
He and his wife have endowed an athletics scholarship at the University of Utah.
Professional career
Carolina Panthers 2001 season The Carolina Panthers chose Smith in the third round (74th overall) during the 2001 NFL draft.
Smith spent a majority of his rookie season as a kick and punt returner, leading all rookies in net yardage with 1,994 yards, and landing in fourth place among all NFL players behind Priest Holmes, Marshall Faulk, and Derrick Mason. In his first play as a professional, Smith returned the opening kickoff of the first game of the season for a touchdown. Smith also had ten catches for 154 yards, and rushed four times for 43 yards.
However, the team finished 1–15, winning only their season opener against the Minnesota Vikings. He was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team. He earned first team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.
2002 season During the 2002 NFL season, Smith earned a starting position as a wide receiver and continued as the team's kick returner and punt returner. In Week 4, in a road game against the Green Bay Packers, he had five receptions for 116 yards for his first game going over 100 yards. On November 18, 2002, Smith attacked practice squad player Anthony Bright during a film session after Bright asked for a play to be shown again, which angered Smith. Bright was hospitalized for two days while Smith was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault. Teammate Isaac Byrd visited Bright in the hospital and said "Half [his] face was swollen and his left eye was closed ... you'd have thought there was a bulldozer in Steve's fist." Smith was suspended for one game by the Panthers. In Week 14, he had five receptions for 144 yards and a receiving touchdown to go with two punt return touchdowns in the 52–31 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his game against the Bengals. Smith finished the 2002 season with 54 receptions for 872 yards and three touchdowns. His 55 punt returns and two punt return touchdowns led the NFL.
2003 season and Super Bowl XXXVIII During the 2003 season, Smith played a critical role for the Panthers offense and helped lead them to their first NFC title in franchise history. In a Week 7 loss to the Tennessee Titans, he had ten receptions for 151 yards and a touchdown. He finished the regular season with 88 receptions for 1,110 yards and seven touchdowns. He eclipsed the 1,000 receiving yards mark for the first time in his career in 2003.
In the Wild Card Round, Smith had five receptions for 135 yards and a touchdown in the 29–10 win over the Dallas Cowboys. During the NFC divisional playoffs, Smith caught a 69-yard pass and ran it for a touchdown in the second overtime period to defeat the St. Louis Rams 29–23. He finished that game with six catches, 163 yards, and the one touchdown. In Super Bowl XXXVIII, he caught four passes for 80 yards and a touchdown, and returned a kickoff for 30 yards in the Panthers' 32–29 loss to the New England Patriots.
2004 season and injury Smith suffered a broken leg during the 2004 NFL season opener against the Green Bay Packers, and was out for the remainder of the year. Before the injury, he managed to record six catches for 60 yards, and even attempted a pass which fell incomplete.
2005 season and comeback
In Week 1, Smith had eight receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown in a loss to the New Orleans Saints. In Week 3, he had 11 receptions for 170 yards and three touchdowns in a 27–24 loss to the Miami Dolphins. In Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals, he had eight receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns in the 24–20 win. In Week 6, on the road against the Detroit Lions, he had six receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown in the 21–20 win. In Week 8, he had 11 receptions for 201 yards and a touchdown in the 38–13 win over the Minnesota Vikings. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for October. In Week 11 against the Chicago Bears, he had 14 receptions for 169 yards in a 13–3 loss. In Week 17 against the Atlanta Falcons, he had nine receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown in the 44–11 win. In the 2005 NFL season, Smith recovered from his injury to have the best season of his career. He earned the "Triple Crown" of receiving, leading the NFL in receptions (103), receiving yards (1,563), and receiving touchdowns (12) and became only the third player, after Jerry Rice (1990) and Sterling Sharpe (1992), to accomplish this feat in the Super Bowl era. Smith also returned 27 punts for 286 yards. His 10.6 yards/punt return was the second-highest of his career, after his 10.7 yards/punt return in his rookie season.
Smith dominated the first two rounds of the 2005–06 NFL playoffs. In a Wild Card Round victory over the New York Giants, Smith caught 10 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 12 yards and another score. The Panthers then defeated the Chicago Bears in the divisional round, aided by Smith's franchise record 12 receptions for 218 yards and two touchdowns. Smith and the Panthers then faced the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship. Although he scored on a 59-yard punt return, Smith was held to 33 receiving yards on five catches, and the Panthers lost by a score of 34–14.
For the second time, Smith was named first team All-Pro. Smith, along with teammates Jake Delhomme, Julius Peppers, and Mike Wahle were invited to the 2006 Pro Bowl after the season. Smith also shared the 2005 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award with New England Patriots' linebacker Tedy Bruschi.
2006 season
After suffering a hamstring injury and developing an ingrown toenail in training camp before the 2006 season, Smith returned to the field after missing two weeks of action. Smith returned in Week 3 and had seven receptions for 112 yards in a 26–24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had eight receptions for 189 yards and a touchdown in Week 6 against the Baltimore Ravens, a 23–21 win. In the following game, he had eight receptions for 126 yards in a 17–14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. In Week 10, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had eight receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown in a 24–10 win. In Week 17, against the Panthers, he had two receiving touchdowns in a 31–21 win. Smith was double covered frequently but still managed to battle through that and injuries to finish the year with 83 catches for 1,186 yards and eight touchdowns. He was also invited to the 2007 Pro Bowl, his second Pro Bowl in a row and third overall. His contract ran up after the season. On March 1, he signed an extension.
2007 season