Bruce Smith

Bruce Smith (b. June 18, 1963 in Norfolk, Virginia) was an NFL football player who currently holds the NFL record for most career quarterback sacks with 200.

Related Topics:
June 18 - 1963 - Norfolk, Virginia - NFL - Football - Quarterback sack

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Bruce Smith attended Virginia Tech and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills as the number one draft pick overall in the 1985 NFL Draft. Smith became known as a sack specialist, with 15 in 1986 and a personal season-best 19 in 1990. By 1989, Smith had already become the Bills' all-time sack leader when he reached his 52nd sack. In 1990, his defensive performance helped bring the Bills to Super Bowl XXV, but they eventually lost to the Bill Parcells-led New York Giants.

Related Topics:
Virginia Tech - Buffalo Bills - 1985 - NFL Draft - 1986 - 1990 - 1989 - Super Bowl XXV - Bill Parcells - New York Giants

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In 1991, Smith was hampered by knee problems and sat out most of the season. And while Smith would continue to be productive for many more seasons, it was ongoing knee troubles that eventually led to his decline several seasons later.

Related Topics:
1991 - Knee

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During these years, Smith continued to be named to the Pro Bowl every season from 1987 to 1998 (except for his injury-laden 1991 season). In 1987, he was named the Pro Bowl MVP. Smith was twice named the AP's NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1990, 1996) and thrice named UPI's AFC Defensive Player of the Year (1988, 1990, 1996).

Related Topics:
Pro Bowl - 1987 - 1998 - Injury - 1991 - MVP - AP - 1990 - 1996 - UPI - AFC - 1988

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By 1996, Smith was still putting up prolific numbers, with 90 tackles and 14 sacks, but his performance began to decline. By 1997, Smith had 65 tackles and 14 sacks and by 1998, he had a still-respectable 50 tackles and 10 sacks, but his days of huge numbers had passed.

Related Topics:
1996 - Tackle - 1997 - 1998

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After the 1999 season, Smith signed with the Washington Redskins as a free agent. In his first season, he posted 58 tackles and 10 sacks, but his production waned and he became limited to only a handful of downs per game. He pressed onward, however, in pursuit of Reggie White's all-time sacks record (198), which he finally passed in the thirteenth game of his nineteenth season in 2003. Smith finished the season with 200 career sacks.

Related Topics:
1999 - Washington Redskins - Free agent - Reggie White - 2003

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Smith had hinted in interviews that 2003 would be his final season. However, he never completely ruled out continuing to play. But on February 24, 2004, the Redskins released Smith, saving $6.5 million in salary cap space.http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1743218

Related Topics:
2003 - February 24 - 2004 - Salary cap

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