A Denver Broncos legend for over a decade will officially end his career tomorrow when Rod Smith officially retires from Professional Football at a press conference tomorrow at 2:00PM est.
Smith owns virtually every receiving record for the Broncos, including records for career receptions (849), receiving yards (11,389), touchdown catches (68), touchdowns (71) and 100-yard games (31). The Missouri Southern product leads all undrafted players in every major receiving category and was a crucial part of 2 Super Bowl Championship teams.
A three-time Pro Bowl selection (2000-01, '05), Smith currently stands 12th in NFL history in career receptions, 19th in career receiving yards and tied for 31st in career receiving touchdowns. Smith, whose nine-year streak of recording at least 70 receptions from 1997-2005 ties for the second longest in league history, also set team records for 1,000-yard receiving seasons (8) and 100-catch seasons (2).
After spending his rookie season on the Broncos' practice squad in 1994, Smith helped Denver to seven postseason berths (1996-98, 2000, 2003-05), three AFC West titles (1996, '98, 2005) and two Super Bowl victories (XXXII in 1997 and XXXIII in `98). The Broncos compiled a 126-70 (.643) record in the 196 overall games (183 regular season, 13 playoff) in which Smith played for his career.
Smith set Broncos career playoff records for receptions (49), receiving yards (860) and receiving touchdowns (6) in 13 postseason appearances (12 starts). His 152 receiving yards in Super Bowl XXXIII against Atlanta (1/31/99) tie for the fifth-highest total by a player in Super Bowl history.
The wide receiver holds five of the top-10 single-season reception totals in Broncos history, including his club-record 113 catches in 2001 that made him one of seven players in league history to post consecutive 100-reception seasons. He also owns four of the top-10 single-season receiving yardage totals in franchise annals, including a club-record 1,602 yards in 2000.
Let the debate begin on Rod's Hall of Fame worthiness. I've attached a poll to get your opinion. For me, all that talk can wait for another day. For the next 48 hours let's remember Smith as a player, what he meant to the Broncos on and off the field, and how big of a loss this will be.