Stan Smagala

{{Short description|American football player (born 1968)}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | image = | caption = | number = 42 | position = Safety | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|04|06}} | birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 10 | weight_lbs = 184 | high_school = Burbank (IL) St. Laurence | college = Notre Dame | draftyear = 1990 | draftround = 5 | draftpick = 123 | pastteams = * Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|1990}}–{{NFL Year|1991}}) * Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|1992}}) | highlights = | statlabel1 = Games played | statvalue1 = 11 | statlabel2 = | statvalue2 = | pfr = SmagSt20 }}

'''Stanley Adam Smagala''' (born April 6, 1968) is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

==Early years== Smagala grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and attended St. Laurence High School, where he practiced football, wrestling and track. The summer before his senior year, he attended a football camp held by the University of Notre Dame, where he tied the camp record for the fastest 40-yard dash.

As a senior running back, he posted 140 carries for 900 rushing yards and received All-city honors. He also rushed for 300 yards and three touchdowns in a playoff game.

==College career== Smagala accepted a football scholarship from the University of Notre Dame. Although he had never played the position before, he was converted into a cornerback because he was considered small for a running back.

Even though head coach Lou Holtz tried to convince him to transfer to another school, as a sophomore he was the team's second fastest player (4.35 seconds in the 40-yard dash) behind wide receiver Tim Brown and became a three-year starter at right cornerback.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/08/21/and-then-there-were-3-how-an-irish-recruiting-bonanza-nearly/ | title=And Then There Were 3: How An Irish Recruiting Bonanza Nearly | access-date=March 30, 2018}}</ref> As a junior, he was paired at cornerback with Todd Lyght.

Due to the teams Notre Dame played, Smagala was required to cover wide receivers like Andre Rison, Michael Irvin, Brian Blades, Brett Perriman, Reggie Rembert and Greg McMurtry.

His most famous play was a 64-yard interception return for a touchdown against the number 2 ranked University of Southern California in 1988.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-11-27-sp-917-story.html | title=Notre Dame Delivers Its 1-2 Punch : USC Turns Contest Into a Bobble for No. 1 Rather Than Classic | website=Los Angeles Times | access-date=March 30, 2018}}</ref> He also helped the team win a national championship and achieve a school-record 23-game winning streak.

==Professional career==

===Los Angeles Raiders=== Smagala was selected by the Los Angeles Raiders in the fifth round (123rd overall) of the 1990 NFL draft,<ref>{{Cite web |title=1990 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1990/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> but was immediately traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a sixth round (#158-James Williams), eighth round (#197-Arthur Jimerson), ninth round (#230-Leon Perry), tenth round (#259-Jim Szymanski) and an eleventh round (#304-Myron Jones) draft choice.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-04-23-sp-284-story.html | title=The NFL Draft : Round By Round | website=Los Angeles Times | access-date=March 30, 2018}}</ref>

===Dallas Cowboys=== On September 23, 1990, he suffered a broken left forearm while helping force a fumble against the Washington Redskins and was placed on the injured reserve list.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1990/09/24/with-passes-penalty-flags-redskins-drop-everything-but-game-to-cowboys/ | title= With passes, penalty flags, Redskins drop everything but game to Cowboys | access-date=March 30, 2018}}</ref> In that game, he also saw action at strong safety. He finished the season with 2 special teams tackles and one quarterback pressure.

He was waived on August 26, 1991. On October 17, he was re-signed to replace first-year player Donald Smith.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19910827&id=5bkcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=43sEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6188,1123098&hl=es | title=Transactions | accessdate=March 30, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19911018&id=WpVHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Sn8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3362,2875003&hl=es | title=Cowboys Release Dixon | accessdate=March 30, 2018}}</ref> He appeared in 8 games, playing mainly on special teams and making 8 tackles.

===Pittsburgh Steelers=== On April 2, 1992, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Smagala as a Plan B free agent.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2519&dat=19920403&id=1IJeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-WENAAAAIBAJ&pg=5295,832642&hl=es | title=Steelers Sign 3 | accessdate=March 30, 2018}}</ref> He was placed on the injured reserve list with a knee injury on September 1.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-09-02-sp-6256-story.html | title=Transactions | website=Los Angeles Times | access-date=March 30, 2018}}</ref> He was released on August 22, 1993.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19930823&id=oa5RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YG4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3858,4027344&hl=es | title=Smagala, Didio Among 9 Steelers Cuts | accessdate=March 30, 2018}}</ref>

==Personal life== After football, he worked for a Real Estate Development company.

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20160602192748/http://articles.philly.com/1988-11-28/sports/26244288_1_lou-holtz-notre-dame-stan-smagala Notre Dame's Smagala Enjoys Fantasy Weekend]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smagala, Stan}} Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Chicago Category:American football safeties Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players Category:Dallas Cowboys players Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players Category:American people of Polish descent Category:20th-century American sportsmen