Steve Smith (running back)
Steven Anthony Smith (August 30, 1964 – November 20, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a fullback for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Los Angeles Raiders and Seattle Seahawks. He was a team captain on the Penn State Nittany Lions's national championship team in 1986.
| No. 35 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Fullback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | August 30, 1964 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Died: | November 20, 2021 (aged 57) Richardson, Texas, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight: | 242 lb (110 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Maryland) |
| College: | Penn State |
| NFL Draft: | 1987 / Round: 3 / Pick: 81 |
| Career history | |
| |
| Career NFL statistics | |
| Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |
Smith was a third-round draft choice of the Raiders in the 1987 NFL Draft. Converted to fullback, Smith blocked for Raiders star running backs Bo Jackson and Marcus Allen. He then spent two seasons with Seattle until a back injury ended his career.[1] Although primarily a blocker, he finished his career with 1627 rushing yards and 13 receiving touchdowns.
In 1995, Smith won the inaugural Madden Bowl, a tournament during Super Bowl weekend in which current and former NFL players compete at the Madden NFL video game.
After football
Smith married former Raiderette, Chie Aguilar-Hiroto from Cypress, CA in December 1989.[2] The couple had two children, Dante (July 1990) and Jazmin (Sept 1991) and lived in Richardson, Texas.[1] Smith had been afflicted with Lou Gehrig's disease from July 2002 until his death. He could not speak because of a ventilator and received his food through a feeding tube. He communicated via a state of the art computer system paid for by The Steve Gleason Foundation.
Smith was the focus of an August 17, 2010, episode of HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel exploring how toxic proteins that form after brain trauma may cause Lou Gehrig's disease.[3] He died on November 20, 2021.[4]
References
- Armas, Genaro C. (2006-12-29). "Former Raider fullback Smith battles illness". The Associated Press. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
- Turse, Paul. "Oakland Raider Steve Smith: Commitment to Acceptance". raiderdrive.com. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
- O'Keeffe, Michael (2010-08-17). "Boston University study by Ann McKee finds link between concussions and Lou Gehrig's disease". NY Daily News.
- Steve Smith, Penn State and NFL 'Superman,' dies after long ALS battle
External links
- "Commitment to Acceptance", Paul Turse, raiderdrive.com
- Former Raider With ALS Wants To Help Others, The Dallas Morning News, July 19, 2003
- Former Raider fullback Smith battles illness, Genaro C. Armas, The Associated Press, December 29, 2006
- "Show of strength: Doctors told Steve Smith he was dying of ALS. He is now convinced that is not true", Frank Bodani, York Daily Record, July 11, 2004.
- "Former PSU fullback Steve Smith still has strength to fight", Frank Bodani, York Daily Record, July 15, 2010.
- “Former Oakland Raider, Steve Smith, and his fight against ALS”, ESPN Video.
- “Steve Smith, former Penn State and Raider Football Player, has ALS”, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, HBO, August 17, 2010.