Eric Smith (safety)

For other people named Eric Smith, see Eric Smith (disambiguation).

Eric Smith (born March 17, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a safety for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans and was selected by the Jets in the third round of the 2006 NFL draft.

Eric Smith

Smith in 2011
No. 33
Position:	Safety
Personal information
Born:	(1983-03-17) March 17, 1983 (age 41) Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	207 lb (94 kg)
Career information
High school:	Groveport Madison (Groveport, Ohio)
College:	Michigan State
NFL draft:	2006 / round: 3 / pick: 97
Career history
As a player:
New York Jets (2006–2012)
As a coach:
New York Jets (2014) Seasonal intern Buffalo Bills (2015–2016) Assistant special teams
Career highlights and awards
Second-team All-Big Ten (2005)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 308 Sacks: 3.5 Fumble recoveries: 4 Pass deflections: 27 Interceptions: 6 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	20-yard shuttle	Three-cone drill	Vertical jump	Broad jump	Bench press
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	209 lb (95 kg)	30 in (0.76 m)	10+1⁄4 in (0.26 m)	4.67 s	1.65 s	2.64 s	3.97 s	6.89 s	40 in (1.02 m)	10 ft 7 in (3.23 m)	21 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[1][2]

Smith was selected in the third round with the 97th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.^[3] Smith had been rising on many draft boards in the weeks leading up to the draft^[4] as he was praised for his instincts and physicality on the field.^[5] The Jets signed Smith to a contract on July 21, 2006.^[6] Smith recorded 27 tackles in 15 games during his rookie season. He also added two interceptions, recording his first against former Cleveland Browns quarterback Charlie Frye.

In 15 games in 2007, Smith recorded 40 tackles and 5 passes defensed.

On September 28, 2008, Smith was fined $50,000 and suspended one game because of a helmet-to-helmet collision with Anquan Boldin of the Arizona Cardinals, which caused Boldin to be hospitalized.^[7] Smith finished the season with 32 tackles, 4 passes defensed and an interception.

Smith was primarily utilized as a back up defender and on special teams in 2009.^[8] In 16 games, he recorded a career high 48 tackles, 6 pass defensed and an interception.

In the team's week two matchup against the New England Patriots in 2010, Smith delivered a hit to wide receiver Wes Welker and was flagged for hitting a defenseless receiver.^[9] Smith apologized to Welker during the game, which Welker accepted,^[10] and was later fined $7,500 by the league.^[9] He was a special teams captain in 2010.^[11]

Smith re-signed with Jets on July 30, 2011, to a three-year deal worth $7.5 million.^[12] He was a special teams captain in 2011.^[13]

Smith suffered a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury on his left knee during the August 10, 2012, preseason loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. An MRI came back negative.^[14] Smith was eventually knocked out for the entire 2012 season. He was released from the Jets on February 19, 2013.^[15]

NFL career statistics

Legend
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Tackles					Interceptions					Fumbles
		GP	GS	Cmb	Solo	Ast	Sck	TFL	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	PD	FF	FR	Yds	TD
2006	NYJ	15	0	29	20	9	0.0	1	2	1	0	1	2	0	0	0	0
2007	NYJ	15	4	40	26	14	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	1	0	0
2008	NYJ	9	6	32	19	13	0.0	1	1	6	0	6	4	0	1	0	0
2009	NYJ	16	4	48	38	10	0.0	4	1	0	0	0	6	0	0	0	0
2010	NYJ	13	6	54	44	10	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0
2011	NYJ	16	14	89	66	23	2.5	5	1	2	0	2	4	0	1	0	0
2012	NYJ	12	2	16	12	4	0.0	1	1	5	0	5	4	0	1	0	0
		96	36	308	225	83	3.5	13	6	14	0	6	27	0	4	0	0

Playoffs

Year	Team	Games		Tackles					Interceptions					Fumbles
		GP	GS	Cmb	Solo	Ast	Sck	TFL	Int	Yds	TD	Lng	PD	FF	FR	Yds	TD
2006	NYJ	1	0	5	5	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2009	NYJ	3	0	5	3	2	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2010	NYJ	3	3	26	21	5	0.0	1	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0
		7	3	36	29	7	0.0	1	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0

Coaching career

Smith was hired by the New York Jets on February 10, 2014, as a seasonal intern coach.^[16]

Smith was hired by the Buffalo Bills to be the assistant special teams coach on January 15, 2015.^[17] He served two seasons in Buffalo on Rex Ryan's staff before being dismissed by new coach Sean McDermott.^[18]

Lawsuit Against NFL

In February 2023, Smith and nine other former players filed a lawsuit against the NFL disability board in United States Federal Court, stating they had been unfairly denied disability claims. Smith stated that he had suffered thirteen documented traumatic brain injuries and had been denied disability compensation for his “head, neck, and lumbar spine impairments” and “marked decreased shoulder range of motion, rotator cuff weakness, and moderate to severe shoulder arthritis".^[19]

References

1. "Eric Smith Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
2. "2006 NFL Draft Scout Eric Smith College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
3. "2006 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
4. Borges, Ron (May 1, 2006), "Jets Couldn't Ask For More With Great Draft", NBCSports.com, NBC Sports, archived from the original on August 11, 2011, retrieved November 4, 2010
5. "2006 NFL Draft - Eric Smith", SI.com, Sports Illustrated, 2006, archived from the original on November 3, 2012, retrieved November 4, 2010
6. Jets Staff (July 21, 2006), "Jets Sign S Eric Smith", NewYorkJets.com, New York Jets, archived from the original on August 6, 2012, retrieved November 4, 2010
7. Bishop, Greg (September 29, 2008). "Two Jets Stars Make a Connection". New York Times. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
8. Gallo, Nick (June 10, 2010), "Eric Smith's Become a D-Back of All Trades", NewYorkJets.com, New York Jets, archived from the original on December 8, 2010, retrieved November 4, 2010
9. Reiss, Mike (September 24, 2010), "Eric Smith fined for Wes Welker hit", ESPNBoston.com, ESPN, archived from the original on September 27, 2010, retrieved November 4, 2010
10. Rapoport, Ian R. (September 21, 2010), "Patriots WR Wes Welker claims he's just fine with Eric Smith after illegal hit by Jet defender", BostonHerald.com/Sports, Boston Herald, archived from the original on September 26, 2010, retrieved November 4, 2010
11. "NFL: New York Jets' Eric Smith Turning Heads, Making a Name for Himself". bleacherreport.com. August 26, 2010. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
12. Mehta, Manish (July 30, 2011). "Jets sign Eric Smith to a three-year deal". New York Daily News. Mortimer Zuckerman. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
13. Caporoso, Joe (August 14, 2011). "Thoughts On New York Jets 2011-2012 Captains". turnonthejets.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
14. "Eric Smith To Miss Rest Of Jets' Preseason". CBS News New York. Retrieved August 11, 2012.
15. Lange, Randy (February 19, 2013). "Five Are Gone, but 'They'll Always Be Jets'". New York Jets. Archived from the original on February 22, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
16. Frankel, Charlie (February 10, 2014). "Tony Sparano Jr. Promoted, Eric Smith Joins Staff". New York Jets. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
17. Buffalo Bills (January 15, 2015). "Bills add seven assistants to coaching staff". Buffalo Bills. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
18. Skurski, Jay (January 31, 2017). "Bills announce 14 assistant coaches will not return in 2017". The Buffalo News.
19. Morse, Ben (February 9, 2023) 10 former NFL players sue league’s disability program, alleging board ‘engaged in repeated and substantial derelictions of their responsibilities’ CNN.com.

External links

• Michigan State Spartans bio Archived 2008-10-21 at the Wayback Machine
• New York Jets bio
• Buffalo Bills bio