Jeff Smith (running back)

{{Short description|American football player (born 1962)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{BLP sources|date=August 2014}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Jeff Smith | number = 42, 35 | position = Running back | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|3|22}} | birth_place = Wichita, Kansas, U.S. | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 9 | weight_lb = 201 | high_school = Wichita Southeast | college = Nebraska | draftyear = 1985 | draftround = 10 | draftpick = 267 | pastteams = * Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|1985|1986}}) * Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|1987|1988}}) * Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|1989}})* | highlights = * First-team All-Big Eight (1984) | statlabel1 = Rushing yards | statvalue1 = 752 | statlabel2 = Rushing average | statvalue2 = 3.7 | statlabel3 = Total touchdowns | statvalue3 = 12 | pfr = SmitJe00 }}

'''Jeff Keith Smith''' (born March 22, 1962) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and was selected by the Chiefs in the 10th round in the 1985 NFL draft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1985 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1985/draft.htm |access-date=2023-10-05 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

==College career== At the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Smith's career was highlighted by his two touchdowns in the 1984 Orange Bowl including one in the last minute to almost rally the Cornhuskers to a comeback victory against the Miami Hurricanes in what is still thought to be one of the greatest college football games of all time.

==Professional career== Smiths most productive season was 1986 with the Chiefs when he gained 1,270 all-purpose yards, 557 of which came returning kickoffs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jeff Smith 1986 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SmitJe00/gamelog/1986/ |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Later years== After his NFL career, Smith has pursued a career in the criminal justice system, working as a Court Services Officer in Wichita, Kansas.

==Personal life== Smith is the step-father of NFL running back Breece Hall.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cimini |first=Rich |date=May 19, 2022 |title=49ers great Roger Craig part of football family molding Jets rookie Breece Hall |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/89584/49ers-great-roger-craig-part-of-football-family-molding-new-york-jets-rookie-breece-hall |access-date=October 29, 2022 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>

==NFL career statistics== {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" |- ! colspan="2"| Legend |- | '''Bold''' | Career high |}

===Regular season=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="5"| Rushing ! colspan="5"| Receiving |- ! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD |- ! 1985 !! KAN | 13 || 1 || 30 || 118 || 3.9 || 27 || 0 || 18 || 157 || 8.7 || '''45''' || 2 |- ! 1986 !! KAN | 15 || 0 || 54 || 238 || '''4.4''' || 32 || '''3''' || '''33''' || '''230''' || 7.0 || 18 || '''3''' |- ! 1987 !! TAM | 12 || '''8''' || '''100''' || '''309''' || 3.1 || '''46''' || 2 || 20 || 197 || '''9.9''' || 34 || 2 |- ! 1988 !! TAM | '''16''' || 3 || 20 || 87 || '''4.4''' || 23 || 0 || 16 || 134 || 8.4 || 22 || 0 |- ! colspan="2"| !! 56 !! 12 !! 204 !! 752 !! 3.7 !! 46 !! 5 !! 87 !! 718 !! 8.3 !! 45 !! 7 |}

===Playoffs=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="5"| Rushing ! colspan="5"| Receiving |- ! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD |- ! 1986 !! KAN | 1 || 0 || 4 || 12 || 3.0 || 6 || 1 || 2 || 12 || 6.0 || 6 || 0 |- ! colspan="2"| !! 1 !! 0 !! 4 !! 12 !! 3.0 !! 6 !! 1 !! 2 !! 12 !! 6.0 !! 6 !! 0 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.footballdb.com/players/jeff-smith-smithje03 Football Database bio]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Jeff}} Category:1962 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Wichita, Kansas Category:American football running backs Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers football players Category:Kansas City Chiefs players Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players Category:Probation and parole officers Category:20th-century American sportsmen