John Smith (American football)
Encyclopedia
John Michael Smith is an English-born retired American football
placekicker
. He made his professional debut with the New England Patriots
in 1974
, remaining with the team until 1983
. After his retirement, he joined his fellow English-born retired placekicker Mick Luckhurst
as part of Channel 4
's NFL coverage team on UK television.
, Smith was offered a pro soccer contract at the age of 16 in 1966. He turned it down, though, to pursue his education. Smith arrived in the United States in 1972 prepared to teach and coach soccer when a young camper asked him to kick an American football. Despite having had no gridiron experience at any level, his strong left foot impressed Patriots coach Chuck Fairbanks
. In 1973, Smith was given a tryout; the 1973 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
was the first American football game he had ever seen, let alone took part in. It made Smith the only player in NFL history to have played in the very first American football game he had ever actually attended. Smith spent that season in the Atlantic Coast Football League
before re-signing with the Patriots in 1974.
, played 12 December 1982
in a snow storm at Foxboro Stadium
. Convict Mark Henderson, released for a weekend work program, cleared the way with his snowplow for Smith to beat the Miami Dolphins
and enter football lore. Two years earlier against Miami on 8 December 1980, Smith was getting ready to attempt a potential game-winning field goal when Howard Cosell
announced to the Monday Night Football
television audience that John Lennon
(who had appeared on MNF six years before as a guest in the booth) had just been assassinated. (Smith's kick was blocked, however, and Miami won the game in overtime.) http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=5880125 The clip of John Smith preparing to kick is shown with his recordfor the 1980 season whenever the story is told of the Monday Night Football game announcement of Lennon's death.
Smith led the NFL in scoring in 1979 and 1980. In 1982, Smith injured his right knee (on his non-kicking leg) and underwent arthroscopic surgery; he retired after the 1983 season as the second-highest scoring player in Patriots history, behind Gino Cappelletti
. http://www.patriots.com/alumni/index.cfm?ac=alumnibiosdetail&bio=15731
. Smith runs JSSA Magic (John Smith Soccer Academy), a premier soccer club for ages 8–18. He also runs John Smith's #1 Soccer School, a soccer camp held at various New England
schools and colleges each summer.
, with his wife Vivienne. Smith has four children and his oldest daughter Felicity directs John Smith Soccer. Felicity Smith-Day, is a former college
All-America
n. She also played professionally for Arsenal L.F.C.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
. He made his professional debut with the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in 1974
1974 New England Patriots season
The New England Patriots finished the National Football League's 1974 season with a record of seven wins and seven losses, and finished tied for third in the AFC East division.-Staff:-Regular season:...
, remaining with the team until 1983
1983 New England Patriots season
The New England Patriots finished the National Football League's 1983 season with a record of eight wins and eight losses, and finished tied for second in the AFC East division.-Staff:-Schedule:- Standings :-Roster:...
. After his retirement, he joined his fellow English-born retired placekicker Mick Luckhurst
Mick Luckhurst
Michael Christopher Wilbert "Mick" Luckhurst is a retired American football placekicker. He made his professional debut with the Atlanta Falcons in 1981, remaining with the team until the 1987 NFL season. Mick was also the face of Channel Four's American Football coverage from 1988 through until...
as part of Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's NFL coverage team on UK television.
Early years
Born in LeafieldLeafield
Leafield is a village and civil parish about northwest of Witney in West Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlet of Langley, west of Leafield village....
, Smith was offered a pro soccer contract at the age of 16 in 1966. He turned it down, though, to pursue his education. Smith arrived in the United States in 1972 prepared to teach and coach soccer when a young camper asked him to kick an American football. Despite having had no gridiron experience at any level, his strong left foot impressed Patriots coach Chuck Fairbanks
Chuck Fairbanks
Chuck Fairbanks is a former American football coach, a head coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. The offensive and defensive systems he introduced and helped develop have proven influential in the NFL....
. In 1973, Smith was given a tryout; the 1973 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
The Pro Football Hall of Game is an annual National Football League exhibition game that is held the weekend of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's induction ceremonies. The game is played at Fawcett Stadium, which is located next door to the Hall of Fame building in Canton, Ohio...
was the first American football game he had ever seen, let alone took part in. It made Smith the only player in NFL history to have played in the very first American football game he had ever actually attended. Smith spent that season in the Atlantic Coast Football League
Atlantic Coast Football League
The Atlantic Coast Football League was a minor football league that operated from 1962 to 1973. Until 1969, many of its franchises had working agreements with NFL and AFL teams to serve as farm clubs. The league paid a base salary of $100 per game and had 36 players on each active roster.For the...
before re-signing with the Patriots in 1974.
The Snowplow Game and John Lennon's death
Smith is perhaps most famous for kicking the only points in the Snowplow GameSnowplow Game
In National Football League lore, the Snowplow Game refers to a regular-season game played between the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots on December 12, 1982.-Overview:...
, played 12 December 1982
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
in a snow storm at Foxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts...
. Convict Mark Henderson, released for a weekend work program, cleared the way with his snowplow for Smith to beat the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and enter football lore. Two years earlier against Miami on 8 December 1980, Smith was getting ready to attempt a potential game-winning field goal when Howard Cosell
Howard Cosell
Howard William Cosell was an American sports journalist who was widely known for his blustery, cocksure personality. Cosell said of himself, "Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these...
announced to the Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
television audience that John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
(who had appeared on MNF six years before as a guest in the booth) had just been assassinated. (Smith's kick was blocked, however, and Miami won the game in overtime.) http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=5880125 The clip of John Smith preparing to kick is shown with his recordfor the 1980 season whenever the story is told of the Monday Night Football game announcement of Lennon's death.
Smith led the NFL in scoring in 1979 and 1980. In 1982, Smith injured his right knee (on his non-kicking leg) and underwent arthroscopic surgery; he retired after the 1983 season as the second-highest scoring player in Patriots history, behind Gino Cappelletti
Gino Cappelletti
Gino Cappelletti is a former American collegiate and Professional Football player. He played at the University of Minnesota, and was a star in the American Football League for the Boston Patriots...
. http://www.patriots.com/alumni/index.cfm?ac=alumnibiosdetail&bio=15731
Post-retirement
Smith currently runs The John Smith Sports Center, an indoor sports complex in Milford, MassachusettsMilford, Massachusetts
Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It had a population of 27,999 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, constituting the center of the town, please see the article Milford ,...
. Smith runs JSSA Magic (John Smith Soccer Academy), a premier soccer club for ages 8–18. He also runs John Smith's #1 Soccer School, a soccer camp held at various New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
schools and colleges each summer.
Personal life
Smith currently lives in Dover, MassachusettsDover, Massachusetts
Dover is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,589 at the 2010 census.Located about southwest of downtown Boston, Dover is a residential town nestled on the south banks of the Charles River. Almost all of the residential zoning requires or larger...
, with his wife Vivienne. Smith has four children and his oldest daughter Felicity directs John Smith Soccer. Felicity Smith-Day, is a former college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n. She also played professionally for Arsenal L.F.C.
Arsenal L.F.C.
Arsenal Ladies Football Club are an English women's association football club affiliated with Arsenal F.C.. Founded in 1987, they are the most successful club in English women's football having won 34 major trophies to date; which are 12 FA Women's Premier League titles, 11 FA Women's Cups, ten...