Dwight Smith (American football)

Total tackles:	477
Sacks:	2.0
Forced fumbles:	10
Fumble recoveries:	4
Interceptions:	22
Defensive touchdowns:	1
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Dwight Smith
No. 26, 24
Position:	Safety
Personal information
Born:	August 13, 1978 (age 46); Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:	201 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school:	Central (Detroit)
College:	Akron
NFL draft:	2001 / round: 3 / pick: 84
Career history
	Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2001–2004); New Orleans Saints (2005); Minnesota Vikings (2006–2007); Detroit Lions (2008);
Career highlights and awards
	Super Bowl champion (XXXVII); Consensus All-American (2000); MAC Defensive Player of the Year (2000);
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:
Total tackles:	477
Sacks:	2.0
Forced fumbles:	10
Fumble recoveries:	4
Interceptions:	22
Defensive touchdowns:	1
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Dwight L. Smith (born August 13, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a safety for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Akron Zips, earning consensus All-American honors. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2001 NFL draft, and he also played in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.^[1] Smith earned a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Early life

Smith was born in Detroit, Michigan. He attended Central High School in Detroit, and played high school football for the Central Trailblazers.

College career

He attended the University of Akron, where he played for the Akron Zips football team from 1997 to 2000. As a senior in 2000, he had 10 interceptions and was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American at defensive back along with being a finalist for the Thorpe Award.^[2]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	Vertical jump	Broad jump	Bench press
5 ft 9+5⁄8 in (1.77 m)	212 lb (96 kg)	29+1⁄2 in (0.75 m)	9 in (0.23 m)	4.57 s	1.65 s	2.65 s	33.5 in (0.85 m)	9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)	15 reps
All values from NFL Combine^[3]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Smith began his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2001 to 2004. Smith's career highlight came in the Bucs' 48–21 victory over the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII, in which Smith intercepted two passes from quarterback Rich Gannon, returning both for touchdowns. He was the first player ever to score 2 touchdowns on interception returns in Super Bowl history.

New Orleans Saints

Before the 2005 season he signed with the New Orleans Saints and played for them for a season. He was released in July 2006, after failed attempts to trade him.

Minnesota Vikings

Smith signed a three-year deal with the Vikings in July 2006. On February 20, 2008, the Vikings released him.

Detroit Lions

On February 27, 2008, he signed with the Detroit Lions. He received $5 million over 2 years. The deal reunited Smith with Lions' head coach Rod Marinelli and defensive coordinator Joe Barry, both of whom were assistants on the Tampa Bay staff when the veteran safety spent the first four seasons of his NFL career as a standout Bucs' defender.

Smith was released by the Lions on February 9, 2009.

NFL career statistics

Legend
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Tackles					Interceptions					Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Cmb	Solo	Ast	Sck	TFL	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	PD	FF	FR	Yds	TD
2001	TAM	15	0	28	23	5	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1	2	0	0
2002	TAM	16	2	44	41	3	0.0	2	4	39	0	35	8	1	0	0	0
2003	TAM	16	16	74	62	12	0.0	1	5	3	0	3	10	1	0	0	0
2004	TAM	16	16	86	75	11	0.0	3	3	13	0	13	13	3	0	0	0
2005	NOR	15	15	73	63	10	1.0	8	2	53	0	28	7	2	0	0	0
2006	MIN	15	14	79	63	16	1.0	4	4	81	0	47	7	1	1	5	0
2007	MIN	14	13	52	45	7	0.0	2	4	112	1	93	9	1	0	0	0
2008	DET	10	7	41	33	8	0.0	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	0
		117	83	477	405	72	2.0	21	22	301	1	93	59	10	4	5	0

Playoffs

Year	Team	Games		Tackles					Interceptions					Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Cmb	Solo	Ast	Sck	TFL	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	PD	FF	FR	Yds	TD
2001	TAM	1	0	1	1	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2002	TAM	3	1	12	12	0	0.0	0	3	100	2	50	3	0	1	0	0
		4	1	13	13	0	0.0	0	3	100	2	50	3	0	1	0	0

References

^ "2001 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
^ 2011 NCAA Football Records Book, Award Winners, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Indianapolis, Indiana, p. 11 (2011). Retrieved June 24, 2012.
^ "2001 NFL Draft Scout Dwight Smith College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved December 28, 2023.

External links

Detroit Lions bio

[1] "2001 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

[2] 2011 NCAA Football Records Book, Award Winners, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Indianapolis, Indiana, p. 11 (2011). Retrieved June 24, 2012.

[3] "2001 NFL Draft Scout Dwight Smith College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved December 28, 2023.

[1]

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[3]

v t e 2000 College Football All-America Team consensus selections
Offense	QB Josh Heupel RB LaDainian Tomlinson RB Damien Anderson WR Marvin Minnis WR Antonio Bryant WR Freddie Mitchell TE Brian Natkin OL Steve Hutchinson OL Ben Hamilton OL Chris Brown OL Leonard Davis C Dominic Raiola
Defense	DL Jamal Reynolds DL Andre Carter DL Casey Hampton DL John Henderson LB Dan Morgan LB Rocky Calmus LB Keith Adams DB Dwight Smith DB Jamar Fletcher DB Fred Smoot DB Tay Cody DB Ed Reed DB J. T. Thatcher
Special teams	P Nick Harris PK Jonathan Ruffin AP Santana Moss

v t e Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl XXXVII champions
1 Joe Hamilton 7 Martín Gramática 9 Tom Tupa 10 Shaun King 11 Rob Johnson 14 Brad Johnson 15 Onome Ojo 19 Keyshawn Johnson 20 Ronde Barber 23 Jermaine Phillips 25 Brian Kelly 26 Dwight Smith 27 Aaron Stecker 30 Darian Barnes 31 Tim Wansley 32 Michael Pittman 34 Dexter Jackson (MVP) 35 Corey Ivy 36 Travis Stephens 38 John Howell 40 Mike Alstott 41 Daniel Wilcox 43 Jameel Cook 45 Mike Solwold 47 John Lynch 51 Alshermond Singleton 52 Nate Webster 53 Shelton Quarles 54 Idris Price 55 Derrick Brooks 56 Ryan Nece 58 Jack Golden 59 Justin Smith 60 Cosey Coleman 62 Jeff Christy 64 Dan Goodspeed 66 Ryan Benjamin 67 Kenyatta Walker 71 Kerry Jenkins 72 Roman Oben 74 Cornell Green 75 Lomas Brown 77 Todd Washington 80 Todd Yoder 81 Charles Lee 82 Marquise Walker 83 Joe Jurevicius 84 Reggie Barlow 85 Ken Dilger 86 Karl Williams 87 Keenan McCardell 88 Rickey Dudley 89 Casey Crawford 90 Buck Gurley 91 Chuck Darby 92 Anthony McFarland 93 DeVone Claybrooks 94 Greg Spires 95 Ron Warner 96 Ellis Wyms 97 Simeon Rice 98 Corey Smith 99 Warren Sapp -- T. T. Toliver
Head coach: Jon Gruden
Coaches: Joe Barry Jeremy Bates Richard Bisaccia Michael Christianson Jay Gruden Monte Kiffin Richard Mann Rod Marinelli Raheem Morris Bill Muir Johnny Parker Stan Parrish Mike Tomlin Art Valero Kirby Wilson