Robert Smith
Teams
Minnesota Vikings (1993-2000)
Playoffs
Appearances - 7 (1993,1994,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000)
Conf Champ Games - 2 (1998,2000)
Super Bowls - 0
Championships - 0
Awards and Honors
All-Pro Second Team - 1 (2000)
Pro Bowl - 2 (1998,2000)
All-Time Ranks
Yards per Rush - #18
Rushing Yards per Game - #45
Rushing Yards - #70
League Leads
Rushing Yards (#2-2000, #7-1997)
Yards per Rush (#2-2000, #3-1997,1998, #6-1999, #7-1995, #10-1996)
Rushing Yards per Game (#4-1997, #5-1996,2000, #7-1998, #10-1999)
Scrimmage Yards (#4-2000, #9-1997)
Yards per Touch (#6-1998, #8-1997)
After rushing for 1126 yards as a freshman at Ohio State, Robert Smith quit football and switched to track for his sophomore season, where he was a very good sprinter, then returned to football as a junior, gaining 707 yards before leaving school for the 1993 NFL Draft, where he was selected in the first round by the Minnesota Vikings.
In his first couple of seasons, Smith did not get much playing time, gaining only 505 rushing yards over 2 seasons. He became the starter before the 1995 season, but missed about half of the team's games over his first two years starting.
In his first healthy season as a starter, which came in 1997, Smith rushed for 1266 yards and 6 touchdowns, gaining 5.5 yards per carry, which was #3 in the league for that season. He was just as good in 1998, gaining 1187 yards and being named to the Pro Bowl for the first time as the lead back for the 15-1 Vikings.
In that season's playoffs, he gained 124 yards in Minnesota's divisional win over Arizona, then rushed for 71 yards the next week in the NFC Championship game, but the Vikings were upset by Atlanta 30-27 in overtime.
Smith reached 1000 yards for the third straight season in 1999, then had his best season in 2000, rushing for 1521 yards, second in the league, and was voted onto the All-Pro Second Team, his only time getting that honor. He had 74 rushing yards and a touchdown in the divisional round, then was held to only 44 yards in the NFC Title Game as Minnesota was shut out by the Giants, ending their season.
Coming off his best season and only 28 years old, Smith abruptly retired after the 2000 season, hoping to avoid serious injury and to pursue other interests. He is among the top 20 of all time in yards per carry, and the top 50 in yards per game, and helped Minnesota make the playoffs in 7 of his 8 seasons, even though he never reached a Super Bowl. Though his career was short, he was one of the most efficient backs of his era, and was near the top of the league for several years, and is still one of the best to have played the game.
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