football junkie
10-05-2006, 04:27 PM
Is Jimmy Smith the longtime great wide out for the Jacksonville Jaguars a Hall of Famer?
Jimmy Smith holds Jaguars' records for most years of service, most games played, most starts, most touchdowns, most receptions in a career, most receptions in a season, most receptions in a game, most consecutive 100-yard games (3) -- in which he's tied for first place with himself six times.
He ends his career with 862 receptions, 12,287 receiving yards, 67 receiving touchdowns and 599 first downs converted. In his first year with the Jags he returned a kick 89 yards for a touchdown. That year he returned 24 kicks for 540 yards. In his 178 game career he lost only four fumbles. He topped 1,000 plus receiving yards nine times in his career.
But the real story of his career is that it almost never happened. Drafted in the second round by Jimmy Johnson and the Cowboys in 1992 out of Jackson State University, Jimmy Smith played only seven games in his rookie season with the Cowboys -- appearing in Superbowl XXVII. In 1993 he suffered a near fatal appendectomy and missed the next two seasons. Dallas cut him before training camp in 1994. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles but was again cut without ever suiting up for a regular season game with that franchise.
Smith tried out for the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995 and much to Tom Coughlin's credit, he saw in Jimmy Smth the talent that would lead Smith to be selected to five Pro-Bowls. (Smith's mother apparently had sent Coughlin a bunch of newspaper clippings from Smith's high school and college days. Smith won All-Conference honors at Calloway High School in Mississippi.)
Jimmy Smith recently retired with the 7th most catches of any wide out in NFL history. So what do you think? Does he deserve a bust in Canton?
Jimmy Smith holds Jaguars' records for most years of service, most games played, most starts, most touchdowns, most receptions in a career, most receptions in a season, most receptions in a game, most consecutive 100-yard games (3) -- in which he's tied for first place with himself six times.
He ends his career with 862 receptions, 12,287 receiving yards, 67 receiving touchdowns and 599 first downs converted. In his first year with the Jags he returned a kick 89 yards for a touchdown. That year he returned 24 kicks for 540 yards. In his 178 game career he lost only four fumbles. He topped 1,000 plus receiving yards nine times in his career.
But the real story of his career is that it almost never happened. Drafted in the second round by Jimmy Johnson and the Cowboys in 1992 out of Jackson State University, Jimmy Smith played only seven games in his rookie season with the Cowboys -- appearing in Superbowl XXVII. In 1993 he suffered a near fatal appendectomy and missed the next two seasons. Dallas cut him before training camp in 1994. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles but was again cut without ever suiting up for a regular season game with that franchise.
Smith tried out for the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995 and much to Tom Coughlin's credit, he saw in Jimmy Smth the talent that would lead Smith to be selected to five Pro-Bowls. (Smith's mother apparently had sent Coughlin a bunch of newspaper clippings from Smith's high school and college days. Smith won All-Conference honors at Calloway High School in Mississippi.)
Jimmy Smith recently retired with the 7th most catches of any wide out in NFL history. So what do you think? Does he deserve a bust in Canton?