Dennis Smith is well known for being one of the hardest hitters in NFL history. This fearsome tackler once hit Thurman Thomas so hard that Thomas said one side of his body went numb.
Even though Smith was on many highlight reels for his tackling prowess, he is rarely discussed as one of the greatest safeties off all time. His absence from these discussions is quite an injustice because he had a great career. In fact, it was Hall-of-Fame-caliber.
Smith entered the league in 1981 after being drafted 15th overall by the Denver Broncos. What followed were fourteen years of significant impact on the field.
Turnover Forcer
To go along with the devastating hits he delivered as an enforcer in the secondary, he recorded 30 interceptions and recovered 17 fumbles. 47 turnovers is a solid mark for a strong safety. Furthermore, he made 1,158 tackles which ranked him No. 4 all-time and No. 1 for a safety at the time of his retirement.
Team Success + Individual Accolades =
The Broncos had a very solid run of success while he was manning the defense. He helped Denver reach three Super Bowls, two of them in back-to-back seasons.
It's unfortunate that he never got a ring, because that may be what is keeping him out of Canton. However, there are other safeties in the Hall of Fame who never won the big game. So why exclude Smith?
During his tenure with the Broncos, Smith received plenty of accolades. He was voted to the Pro Bowl six times and was awarded with a second-team All-Pro selection. He also received a vote for Defensive Player of the Year in 1989, when he helped the Broncos become the No. 1 defense that season.
Smith received honors bestowed upon players who had individual success and he was a member of a team that also enjoyed significant success. Those two combinations tend to land players in the Hall of Fame.
Game-Changer
Smith’s impact is felt long after his retirement. He is responsible for ushering a new breed of safety into the NFL. His physicality and tackling prowess along with his coverage ability gave way to the new breed of in-the-box safeties who can slide down to play linebacker and cover in pass defense.
Many of those players recently have been given a gold jacket, one of them being his teammate, Steve Atwater. Smith’s presence on the team is a significant reason Atwater is a Hall-of-Famer and without him, the NFL may have taken longer to evolve the safety position.
Bottom Line
Smith deserves to be inducted into Canton beside the other greats of the gridiron.
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