26 Facts About Jackie Smith

Jackie Smith played college football for the Northwestern State Demons.

Jackie Smith was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

Jackie Smith attended Kentwood High School, in Kentwood, Louisiana, where he started out playing the clarinet for the school's band.

Jackie Smith decided to try out for the football team as a sophomore, but suffered a torn Achilles tendon that forced him to sit out the season.

Jackie Smith lettered in track and field, competing in the mile relay, the quarter-mile, the low and high hurdles.

Jackie Smith won a state championship in the hurdles as a senior.

Jackie Smith initially joined the football team to fulfill this provision, but he was good enough to become a starter.

Jackie Smith was selected by the St Louis Cardinals in the tenth round of the 1963 NFL draft, based on the recommendation of Jack Rockwell, then a Cardinals trainer and a part-time scout, who saw him in a spring game during his senior season, where he showed enough speed to stand out.

Jackie Smith was a part of a group of 10 rookies that made the team that year.

Jackie Smith was so surprised that he even thought it must have been a mistake that he had been drafted, but once drafted was determined to make the team.

Jackie Smith was originally projected to play flanker, but was named the starter at tight end after Taz Anderson was injured.

Jackie Smith played in 121 straight Cardinals games until suffering an injury in 1971.

Besides being a talented receiver with excellent speed, Jackie Smith displayed elite conditioning and ran with great determination, not only avoiding tacklers but running through them.

Jackie Smith was an excellent blocker, in an era where the tight ends were expected to block more than feature their receiving skills.

Jackie Smith was the team starting punter from 1964 to 1966, until Chuck Latourette took over the role.

Jackie Smith was named first team All-Pro by United Press International and second team All-Pro by the Newspaper Enterprise Association.

Jackie Smith played in five straight Pro Bowls and posted more than 40 receptions in seven seasons.

Jackie Smith proved his durability by playing in 121 straight games, until suffering torn ligaments in the ninth game of the 1971 season.

Jackie Smith had two great tight end close contemporaries, fellow hall of famers John Mackey and Mike Ditka, who were voted first team All-Pro by the Associated Press during the first half of Jackie Smith's career.

Jackie Smith is tied for the most seasons played in a Cardinals uniform with 15 and had a string of 45 straight games with at least one reception.

Jackie Smith received a game ball for his blocking after a win against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jackie Smith eventually made his only trip to the Super Bowl, which would end up leaving a mark on his career.

Jackie Smith retired again, even though the Cowboys still wanted him back for the 1979 season.

On January 29,1994, Jackie Smith was officially voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, as the third tight end to ever receive this honor, and recognized as one of the key players that helped revolutionize the position.

Jackie Smith has worked in the marketing of Hobie Cat boats, including pedal kayaks and the Mirage Pro Angler.

Jackie Smith has performed the national anthem at different sporting events.