By John Turney 
Neil Smith must have given the Chiefs a scare his rookie year. He was their first-round pick in 1988 (second overall) out of Nebraska. They certainly had high hopes for him—he was an All-American (The Sporting News) at the University of Nebraska and impressed in pre-draft workouts measuring 6-4½, 260 pounds, ran a 4.59 forty, and possessed a 7-foot 1½ inch wingspan.
All that caused the Chiefs to trade up to get him.
They also gave him a $4.1 million contract (actually five one-year contracts) that was reportedly slightly better than the contract that the first overall pick got.
But due to Smith suffering from dyslexia learning NFL defense was difficult and took extra work to get through that making his progress in the NFL slower than was anticipated. Smith also suffered three concussions his first season (which almost ended his career before it got started—at least according to team trainers), had an ankle sprain, and had a non-football urologic disorder that caused him to be rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.
Scary, indeed.
Those scary things led to Smith missing three games, starting only seven games, and recording just 32 tackles and 2.5 sacks. It was hardly the kind of production the Chiefs brass wanted when they signed him to five years (five one-year contracts) for around $4 million.
However, the next season had to have allayed the Chiefs' fears—Smith had a fine sophomore season. He played steady and strong and started to make the big plays that were expected, recording 6.5 sacks and forcing four fumbles and beginning, in earnest, an excellent NFL career.
In preparing for the 1990s season Smith put in extra time in the weight room—gaining strength and weighed in at 271. He also began to study the film in a more steadfast way and proudly proclaimed that he had "matured" as a defensive lineman.
That year he got the first of his post-season honors—he was named Second-team All-Pro by The National, a short-lived newspaper that featured some of the best writers from all sports including top-flight NFL scribes. It was not his last recognition, he followed that with seven consecutive years of being either First- or Second-team All-Pro, All-AFC, or the Pro Bowl.
He also did it all with flair—he punctuated every sack with a mimed home run swing (originally an homage to George Brett), taunting Oiler kick Al Del Greco by shouting "Pee Wee, Pee Wee!", and wearing a Band-Aid on his nose that featured Chiefs colors, and perfecting a "twitch move" that was meant to draw offensive linemen to jump early. It worked so well it was eventually outlawed.
In his 1991 season, he even topped Derrick Thomas's pressure total of 43, leading the team with 45, to go with his 53 tackles and 8.0 sacks. In fact, Smith led the team in pressures in 1992 as well, no small feat with Thomas on the roster.
Beginning with 1992 he increased his sack totals to usually being among the league leaders which coincided with the Chiefs moving from a 3-4 scheme to a 4-3 defense. His 14.5 sacks were sixth-best in the NFL and his 64 total tackles were a career-high.
Smith was second on the club in 1993 in pressures but had a career-high in sacks, 15.0 capturing him the NFL sack title. In that season he played on the weak side of the defensive line, going away from the tight end or three-receiver side. Prior to that and for the rest of his career post-1993, he played on the left side regardless of where the tight end lined up.
From 1992-95 Smith was second in the NFL with 53 sacks (and led the NFL in 1993). Only Charger defensive end Leslie O'Neal had more with 54. He never ranked lower than sixth in the league in that span.
For Smith (and O'Neal) that was quite a feat when players named Reggie White and Bruce Smith, Chris Doleman, and rush linebackers like teammate Derrick Thomas, and Kevin Greene, among others, were also in the league.
During his prime he drew praise from scouts, one saying, "Great reach and good slither, he can turn his body to separate from blockers." Said another, "He can race to the corner and burst off a block into the pocket. He plays with leverage and comes down hard and quick on inside runs."
Without a doubt, Smith was one of the best defensive players in the NFL. In addition to his All-Pro/Pro Bowl seasons twice he received votes for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
The Chiefs were one of the top two defensive units in the NFL. They had been good before, often in the top five or so, but they put it all together in 1995, ranking first in scoring defense and second in yards allowed, third in rushing defense, fifth in fewest passing yards allowed, and third in sacks.
Personally, Smith had 59 pressures and 12.0 sacks. It was the fourth straight year he led or co-led the club in sacks. he was the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October, recording 5.5 sacks and 14 pressures.
First-year defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham took a very good defense and made it great but it still didn't get the Chiefs to the Super Bowl after making the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, never finding joy and the end of the season.
The Chiefs were 13-3 but again lost in the playoffs, exiting in the first round in a 10-7 loss to the Colts, a game Smith had a sack, a forced fumble, and six pressures. It was the last playoff game Smith would play as a Chief.
Despite a career-high of 77 pressures, 1996 was Smith's last season with the Chiefs. The pressures notwithstanding His tackle and sack total were the lowest they had been since his rookie season and there were whispers that Smith was not as quick off the ball as he had been, that he was on the decline.
The Chiefs also fell to 9-7 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1989. The defense reverted to being good but it was not the stellar defense they fielded in 1995.
Smith's contract expired making him a free agent and it was bad timing to try to stay in Kansas City. Derrick Thomas was also at the end of his contract and the Chiefs could afford only one of their pass-rushing tandem. Carl Peterson, the Kansas City general manager, commissioned a study by an independent scouting firm to evaluate both Smith and Thomas and in a Moneyball fashion to advise the Chiefs which player would have more value going forward.
The Chiefs chose to keep Thomas, signing him to a seven-year $27 million contract.
Smith had to find work.
In April 1997, Smith signed an incentive-laden contract with the Broncos. The reported base salary was between $1 million and $1.5 million with the opportunity to earn another $3 million in performance incentives.
Denver head coach Mike Shanahan didn't buy the "Smith has slowed down" narrative. He told the press, "When some people said he was not playing up to his level, they did not have to design game plans against him. For the last decade I was on the other side . . . designing game plans directed toward Neil."
In his first year in Denver, Smith got a Super Bowl ring and was a Second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler while recording 8.5 sacks plus three more in the playoffs (two in a 14-10 win over his former team).
His performance was enough to convince the Broncos to offer Smith a four-year, $13.6 million contract that included a $3.2 million bonus.
.jpg)
Unfortunately for the Broncos, Smith was never productive again. He did contribute to the Broncos 1998 season that ended in their second consecutive Super Bowl win. He even picked up a loose football and returned it 79 yards for a score against the Dolphins in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
But that was really the last hurrah in his career.
Maybe the premature rumors of him slowing after the 1996 season were finally accurate in the 1999 off-season. Prior to the season, the Broncos asked for Smith to restructure his deal even though there were three years left on it. Smith agreed and signed a one-year deal worth up to $2 million if he hit all the incentives.
He didn't. He started only seven games, the fewest since his rookie year, and the Broncos released him after the season.
On a positive note, in that final year in Denver, Smith did surpass the century mark in sacks, taking his career total to 104.5
In September of 2000, the Chargers signed him to bolster their defensive line but was a throwaway season. His success was measured by an almost sack.
In a game against the in Seattle, Smith missed a sack on John Kitna that would have effectively ended the game. Instead, Kitna escaped Smith's grasp and completed a pass that put the Seahawks in field goal position. They lined up and kicked the game-winning field goal at the final gun.
After the game, Smith explained, "If I make that play and the ball game is over. The win is ours. . . It's a play I should have made."
Seeing him play for San Diego and not playing well was similar to seeing Willie Mays play for the Mets in 1973—a little bit sad.
Despite his last few seasons, Smith had an excellent career. He was All-Decade, All-Pro once, Second-team All-Pro three times, All-AFC four times, and voted to six Pro Bowls and had over 100 career sacks, and forced 31 fumbles.
And while he, Thomas, head coach Marty Schottenheimer and the rest could not get the Chiefs to the "Big Game" he did get to enjoy that penultimate success in the Mile High City by getting those two rings.
He's been on the Pro Football Hall of Fame preliminary list several times but has not made the Semifinalist list of 25 and he may never make it that far.
If not, he had a career worth remembering.
Career stats
No comments:
Post a Comment