Justin Smith (American football)
Encyclopedia
Justin Smith is an American football
defensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers
of the National Football League
. He was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals
fourth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Missouri
.
following his junior year. In his junior season at Missouri he logged 11 sacks
, 24 tackles
-for-loss and 97 total tackles. His sacks and tackles-for-loss set school season records, and he set the school's sacks record two years in a row, having logged eight as a sophomore. As a junior he earned First-team All-America
honors from the Football Writers Association of America
and was a unanimous selection to First-team All-Big 12. As a sophomore he also earned First-team All-Big 12 honors. In 1998, became first true freshman since 1986 to start
every game for Missouri.
. He signed a six year, $10 million contract that included a $1.25 million signing bonus. Despite missing all of the preseason plus the first regular-season game, Smith logged a Bengals rookie-record 8.5 sacks, breaking mark of 8.0 set by James Francis
in 1990. He finished second on the line in total tackles (53) and first in solos (41) and had the second-most sacks by an NFL rookie
in 2001, topped only by the 9.0 of Pittsburgh’s
Kendrell Bell
.
In his second season with the Bengals, he started every game at RDE and led team in sacks (6.5), led defensive line in tackles (59) and also led the team in sack yardage (56). He played 95.5 percent of the defensive snaps (934 of 978), second on team. He ended the season with 6.5 sacks, giving him a total of 15 for his first two seasons, most by a Cincinnati Bengal in his first two seasons since 1976-77.
In his third season with the Bengals, he recorded 60 tackles of which 41 were solo. He also added another 5.0 sacks. Where he also played as an outside linebacker.
His fourth season saw him lead team in sacks (8.0) and sack yardage (70.5). He also lead the defense in snaps played (94.4 percent), and he recorded 70 tackles.
In 2005, Smith led the team once again in sacks (6.0), making it his third time to lead the team in his five seasons. In his other two seasons, he finished one sack or less behind the team leader. By the end of his fifth year, he had moved into fifth place on Bengals all-time sacks list with a total of 34.
On February 15, 2007 the Bengals designated the franchise tag
on him. He signed the one-year franchise contract that earned him $8.64 million in 2007. He led the league in assisted tackles in 2007 with 29.
. The deal included an $11 million signing bonus. In his first season with San Francisco, Smith registered 7 sacks, 73 tackles and one interception.
Justin Smith was named second alternate to the 2010 Pro Bowl, but was later called up after Kevin Williams of Minnesota dropped out because of injury.
, which is near Jefferson City, the state capital. He earned All-State honors and was two-time all-district football choice at Jefferson City High School. While at JCHS, he was selected to SuperPrep's All-American and Top 50 teams as a senior. He now lives year-round in Cincinnati, Ohio
with his wife and dogs, and enjoys playing golf
. His favorite cartoon character is Superman
and according to him, sushi
is the best meal before a game. His dogs names are Harley and Lady. He is also owner of Railwood Golf Club in Holts Summit, Missouri.
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...
defensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
fourth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Missouri
Missouri Tigers football
The Missouri Tigers football team represents the University of Missouri in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team has competed in the North Division of the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996...
.
College Years
While majoring in General Studies at Missouri he entered the 2001 NFL Draft2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
following his junior year. In his junior season at Missouri he logged 11 sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
, 24 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
-for-loss and 97 total tackles. His sacks and tackles-for-loss set school season records, and he set the school's sacks record two years in a row, having logged eight as a sophomore. As a junior he earned First-team 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...
honors from the Football Writers Association of America
Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
and was a unanimous selection to First-team All-Big 12. As a sophomore he also earned First-team All-Big 12 honors. In 1998, became first true freshman since 1986 to start
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
every game for Missouri.
Cincinnati Bengals
Justin was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in first round (fourth overall) of the 2001 NFL draft. He signed with the team on September 8, following protracted contract negotiations, and had roster exemption for the September 9th season opener vs. New EnglandNew 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...
. He signed a six year, $10 million contract that included a $1.25 million signing bonus. Despite missing all of the preseason plus the first regular-season game, Smith logged a Bengals rookie-record 8.5 sacks, breaking mark of 8.0 set by James Francis
James Francis (American football)
James Henry Francis is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Cincinnati Bengals and Washington Redskins...
in 1990. He finished second on the line in total tackles (53) and first in solos (41) and had the second-most sacks by an NFL rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
in 2001, topped only by the 9.0 of Pittsburgh’s
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
Kendrell Bell
Kendrell Bell
Kendrell Alexander Bell is a former American football linebacker. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...
.
In his second season with the Bengals, he started every game at RDE and led team in sacks (6.5), led defensive line in tackles (59) and also led the team in sack yardage (56). He played 95.5 percent of the defensive snaps (934 of 978), second on team. He ended the season with 6.5 sacks, giving him a total of 15 for his first two seasons, most by a Cincinnati Bengal in his first two seasons since 1976-77.
In his third season with the Bengals, he recorded 60 tackles of which 41 were solo. He also added another 5.0 sacks. Where he also played as an outside linebacker.
His fourth season saw him lead team in sacks (8.0) and sack yardage (70.5). He also lead the defense in snaps played (94.4 percent), and he recorded 70 tackles.
In 2005, Smith led the team once again in sacks (6.0), making it his third time to lead the team in his five seasons. In his other two seasons, he finished one sack or less behind the team leader. By the end of his fifth year, he had moved into fifth place on Bengals all-time sacks list with a total of 34.
On February 15, 2007 the Bengals designated the franchise tag
Franchise Tag
In the National Football League, the franchise tag is a designation a team may apply to a player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. The tag binds the player to the team for one year if certain conditions are met. Each team has access each year to only one franchise tag and one...
on him. He signed the one-year franchise contract that earned him $8.64 million in 2007. He led the league in assisted tackles in 2007 with 29.
San Francisco 49ers
On March 1, 2008 he signed a six-year, $45 million deal with the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. The deal included an $11 million signing bonus. In his first season with San Francisco, Smith registered 7 sacks, 73 tackles and one interception.
Justin Smith was named second alternate to the 2010 Pro Bowl, but was later called up after Kevin Williams of Minnesota dropped out because of injury.
Personal life
Justin is originally from the town of Holts Summit, MissouriHolts Summit, Missouri
Holts Summit is a small city in Callaway County, Missouri, United States. The population was 3,247 at the 2010 census. Holts Summit is located northeast of Jefferson City, Missouri's state capital. It is part of the Jefferson City Metropolitan Area.-History:...
, which is near Jefferson City, the state capital. He earned All-State honors and was two-time all-district football choice at Jefferson City High School. While at JCHS, he was selected to SuperPrep's All-American and Top 50 teams as a senior. He now lives year-round in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
with his wife and dogs, and enjoys playing golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
. His favorite cartoon character is Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
and according to him, sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
is the best meal before a game. His dogs names are Harley and Lady. He is also owner of Railwood Golf Club in Holts Summit, Missouri.