Smith played for the Missouri Tigers football team while majoring in general studies at the University of Missouri. In 1998, he became the first true freshman to start every game for Missouri since 1986 and was named Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. As a sophomore, Smith set a new school sack record with eight and was named to first-team All-Big 12. In his junior season, Smith logged 11 sacks, 24 tackles-for-loss, and 97 total tackles. He broke his own sacks record that he set the previous year and set a new school record for tackles-for-loss. He earned first-team All-American honors from the Football Writers Association of America and garnered first-team All-Big 12 honors for the second year in a row. He entered the 2001 NFL draft following his junior year.
Professional career
Cincinnati Bengals
Justin was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in first round (fourth overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft.[3] He signed with the team on September 8, following protracted contract negotiations, and had roster exemption for the September 9 season opener vs. New England. He signed a six-year, $10 million contract that included a $1.25 million signing bonus. Despite missing all of the preseason as well as the first regular-season game, Smith logged a Bengals rookie-record 8.5 sacks, breaking the mark of 8.0 set by James Francis in 1990. He finished second on the line in total tackles (53) and first in solos (41) and had the second-most sacks by an NFL rookie in 2001, topped only by the 9.0 of Pittsburgh’sKendrell Bell.
In his second season with the Bengals, he started every game at right defensive end and led the team in both sacks (6.5) and sack yardage (56) while also leading the defensive line in tackles (59). He played 95.5 percent of the defensive snaps (934 of 978), second on the team. His 6.5 sacks, gave him a total of 15 over his first two seasons, the most by a Cincinnati Bengal in his first two seasons since 1976–77.
In his third season with the Bengals, he recorded 60 tackles, 41 of which were solo. He also added another 5.0 sacks while also playing outside linebacker.
His fourth season saw him lead the team in sacks (8.0) and sack yardage (70.5). He also led the defense in snaps played (94.4 percent), and he recorded 70 tackles.
In 2005, Smith led the team once again in sacks (6.0), making it his third time to lead the team in his five seasons. In his other two seasons, he finished one sack or less behind the team leader. By the end of his fifth year, he had moved into fifth place on Bengals all-time sacks list with a total of 34.
On February 15, 2007, the Bengals designated the franchise tag on him. He signed the one-year franchise contract that earned him $8.64 million in 2007. He led the league in assisted tackles in 2007 with 29.
On March 1, 2008, he signed a six-year, $45 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers. The deal included an $11 million signing bonus.[4] In his first season with San Francisco, Smith registered 7 sacks, 73 tackles and one interception.[5]
Smith was selected for five consecutive Pro Bowls from 2009 to 2013.[6] In 2011 and 2012, he was named to the Associated Press All-Pro team both as a Defensive End and as a Defensive Tackle. He was eligible for the honor at both positions because the 49ers used him as a defensive end in their 3–4 base defense, while frequently moving him inside to DT for their 4–2 nickel defense.[7] He had been mentioned by many pundits as a candidate to win the 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award, and finished third with 6 out of 50 votes.[8]
At the end of the 2012 season, Smith and the 49ers appeared in Super Bowl XLVII. In the game, he had three combined tackles as the 49ers fell to the Baltimore Ravens by a score of 34–31.[9]
Smith appeared on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012, and was projected by his peers to be the 17th best player coming into the 2012 season.
On May 18, 2015, Smith announced that he had decided to retire after 14 seasons in the NFL.[10]
Smith is originally from the town of Holts Summit, Missouri, which is near Jefferson City, the state capital. He earned All-State honors and was two-time all-district football choice at Jefferson City High School. While at JCHS, he was selected to SuperPrep's All-American and Top 50 teams as a senior. He is the owner of Railwood Golf Club in central Missouri.[11]
Notes and References
↑ Selected as both defensive tackle and defensive end
Atiyyah Ramadan Ellison [ah-TEE-ah] is a former American football defensive lineman. He was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Missouri.
Clark Cromwell Haggans was an American professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Colorado State Rams as a defensive end, and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Haggans played in the NFL from 2000 through 2012 for the Steelers, Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers.
Bobbie Joe Williams, Jr. is a former American football guard. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arkansas. Williams has also played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.
Elvis Kool Dumervil is an American former football defensive end and linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. He played college football for the Louisville Cardinals, winning the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Ted Hendricks Award as a senior, and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL draft.
Domata Uluaifaasau Peko Sr is a former American football nose tackle. Peko was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Pago Pago, American Samoa. He played college football at Michigan State and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL draft.
Patrick L. Willis is an American former professional football player who spent his entire eight-year Hall of Fame career as a linebacker with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the 49ers in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft. He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels, earning consensus All-American honors in 2006.
Ahmad Kadar Brooks is an American former football linebacker. He played college football at Virginia and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the 2006 NFL supplemental draft. Brooks also played for the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers.
Ted Monachino is an American football coach who is currently the defensive line coach at North Carolina. He was hired by the Tar Heels in 2023 as Senior Defensive Analyst before being elevated to the defensive line position following the departures of Tim Cross and Gene Chizik. A longtime assistant in the National Football League (NFL), Monachino coached for several teams, including most recently as outside linebackers coach for the Atlanta Falcons. Monachino also coached for Missouri in 2018 and served as the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts from 2016 to 2017. He was also formerly the linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 2010 to 2015. He was part of the Ravens' coaching staff that won Super Bowl XLVII.
Daniel Stubbs II is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, and Miami Dolphins. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, earning unanimous All-American honors in 1987.
Joseph Andrew Staley is an American former football offensive tackle who played his entire career for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Central Michigan and was selected by the 49ers in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft.
Todd Eric Kelly is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker/defensive end for four seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected in the first round of the 1993 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at the University of Tennessee, where he was a captain of the 1992 team, and received All-SEC and All-American AP honors.
Dwayne Anthony Missouri is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers. He also was a member of the Berlin Thunder in the NFL Europe League (NFLEL) Colorado Crush and the Philadelphia Soul, Utah Blaze in the Arena Football League (AFL). He played college football at Northwestern University.
Bruce Edward Davis II is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, earning All-American honors. Davis was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, he helped the Steelers defeat the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.
Justin Donovan Houston is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at Georgia, where he earned All-American honors, and was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. A four-time Pro Bowl selection, he was also named to the All-Pro team in 2014. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins.
Tony Lemar Jefferson Jr. is an American football safety who is a free agent. He played college football at Oklahoma and signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He has previously played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, and New York Giants.
Aldon Jacarus Smith is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Missouri Tigers, and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. Smith was a first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl selection with the 49ers in 2012. He also played for the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys.
Aaron Charles Donald is an American former football defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Rams franchise. He is regarded as one of the greatest defensive players of all time.
DeForest George Buckner is an American football defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon, and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft. With the 49ers, Buckner made a Pro Bowl and was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2019. With the Colts, he was selected to the first-team All Pro in 2020 and made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and 2023.
Nicholas John Bosa is an American football defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was selected second overall by the 49ers in the 2019 NFL draft. Bosa was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and helped his team reach Super Bowl LIV. In 2022, he won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. He is the son of former NFL defensive end John Bosa and younger brother of Joey Bosa, currently a linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Alex Highsmith is an American football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Charlotte.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
