Highlighted Year: John Brockington, 1973

Fullback, Green Bay Packers

Age: 25 (Sept. 7)

3^rd season in pro football & with Packers

College: Ohio State

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 225

Prelude:

Brockington started at halfback as a sophomore in college, backed up FB Jim Otis for a year, and then started at fullback as a senior and rushed for a team-record 1142 yards and scored 17 TDs in 1970. He was chosen by the Packers in the first round (ninth overall) of the ’71 NFL draft and moved directly into the starting lineup in combination with HB Donny Anderson. Brockington led the NFC with 1105 rushing yards and received consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Rookie of the Year honors. In 1972 he had a new backfield mate in HB MacArthur Lane and ran for 1027 yards as the Packers won the NFC Central, achieving All-NFC honors and again being selected to the Pro Bowl.

1973 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 265 [4]

Most attempts, game – 28 (for 137 yds.) vs. St. Louis 11/11

Yards – 1144 [2, 1^st in NFC]

Most yards, game – 142 yards (on 22 carries) at Chicago 12/16

Average gain – 4.3 [19]

TDs – 3

100-yard rushing games – 5

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 16

Most receptions, game – 3 (for 17 yds.) vs. New Orleans 12/2

Yards – 128

Most yards, game – 45 (on 2 catches) at New England 11/18

Average gain – 8.0

TDs – 0

Passing

Attempts – 1

Completions – 0

TDs – 0

INT – 0

Scoring

TDs – 3

Points – 18

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: NEA

2^nd team All-NFL: AP, PFWA

1^st team All-NFC: AP, UPI, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Packers went 5-7-2 to finish third in the NFC Central.

Aftermath:

After having become the first player in NFL history to reach a thousand rushing yards in each of his first three years, Brockington found the going more difficult over time as the team’s lack of a credible passing attack had defenses keying on stopping the ground game. After gaining 883 yards rushing in 1974, in addition to catching a career-high 43 passes, his production dropped sharply as the wear and tear of his punishing, straight-ahead running style began to take its toll and he never again gained as many as 500 yards in a season. Released by the Packers early in the 1977 season, he finished up with the Kansas City Chiefs. Overall, Brockington rushed for 5185 yards on 1347 carries (all but 161 yards and 54 carries coming with Green Bay) and caught 157 passes for 1297 yards (19 for 222 yards with the Chiefs), scoring a total of 34 touchdowns (30 rushing, four receiving). He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection once, received first- or second-team All-NFL and All-NFC honors after two other seasons, and was a three-time Pro Bowl choice.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Highlighted Year: Terry Barr, 1963

Flanker, Detroit Lions

Age: 28

7^th season in pro football & with Lions

College: Michigan

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 190

Prelude:

Following a successful college career, Barr was chosen by the Lions in the third round of the 1957 NFL draft. He played at defensive halfback and returned an interception for a touchdown in Detroit’s NFL Championship victory over Cleveland. Barr performed capably in the defensive backfield, receiving second-team All-NFL honors from the New York Daily News in ’58, until being shifted over to flanker on offense in 1959. He shared the position with Howard “Hopalong” Cassady and posted modest numbers, but broke out with 40 catches for 630 yards (15.8 avg.) and six touchdowns in 1961. However, Barr was limited to six games in ’62 due to a knee injury that required surgery and there were concerns regarding his health heading into the 1963 season.

1963 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 66 [3] 

Most receptions, game – 10 (for 135 yds.) at San Francisco 11/3

Yards – 1086 [4]

Most yards, game – 135 (on 10 catches) at San Francisco 11/3

Average gain – 16.5 [17]

TDs – 13 [1, tied with Gary Collins]

100-yard receiving games – 6

Rushing

Attempts – 1

Yards – 9

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 13 [2, tied with Gary Collins]

Points – 78 [7, tied with Gary Collins]

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFL: AP, NEA

1^st team All-Western Conference: Sporting News

Pro Bowl

Lions went 5-8-1 to finish tied for fourth with the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL Western Conference.

Aftermath:

Barr followed up with another Pro Bowl year in 1964, catching 57 passes for 1030 yards (18.1 avg.) and nine TDs. However, another knee injury cost him half the season in ’65 and he retired. Overall, in nine seasons all spent with the Lions, Barr had 227 catches for 3810 yards (16.8 avg.) and 35 touchdowns. He ran the ball for 151 yards and another two TDs and returned 26 kickoffs for a 25.2-yard average and a TD and 50 punts for a 5.2-yard average. On defense, he intercepted five passes. Barr was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Highlighted Year: Champ Bailey, 2005

Cornerback, Denver Broncos

Age: 27

7^th season in pro football, 2^nd with Broncos

College: Georgia

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 192

Prelude:

A consensus All-American cornerback in 1998, Bailey starred on both offense and defense in college and was chosen by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the ’99 NFL draft (seventh overall). He moved directly into the starting lineup and intercepted five passes. Tough and smart, and with ideal size and speed, he quickly became established as an elite player at his position and in 2000 was named to the Pro Bowl for the first of eight consecutive seasons in addition to receiving first-team All-NFC recognition. In 2004, after five years in Washington, he was dealt to Denver in a blockbuster trade for RB Clinton Portis and achieved consensus first-team All-NFL honors for the first time.

2005 Season Summary

Appeared in 14 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 8 [4, tied with Nathan Vasher]

Most interceptions, game – 1 on eight occasions

Int. return yards – 139 [8]

Most int. return yards, game – 65 (on 1 int.) at Dallas 11/24

Int. TDs – 2 [1, tied with four others]

Sacks – 0

Fumble recoveries – 0

Forced fumbles – 1

Tackles – 59

Assists – 5

Scoring

TDs – 2

Points – 12

Postseason: 2 G

Interceptions – 1

Int. return yards – 100

Sacks – 0

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-AFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Broncos went 13-3 to finish first in the AFC West. Won AFC Divisional playoff over New England Patriots (27-13). Lost AFC Championship to Pittsburgh Steelers (34-17).

Aftermath:

Bailey followed up in 2006 by leading the NFL in both interceptions (10) and interception return yards (162) and was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection for the third straight year. With teams not throwing in his direction, his interception total dropped to three in ’07, but he still achieved Pro Bowl recognition. Injuries cost Bailey seven games in 2008 but he bounced back in ’09 to return to the Pro Bowl for another four straight years. Even with declining skills, he was still a formidable cover corner well into his 30s. A foot injury limited Bailey to five games in 2013, although he returned to play in the postseason, including the Super Bowl loss to Seattle that was his last game with the Broncos. He was released following the season, signed with New Orleans, but failed to make the team and retired. Overall, Bailey played for 15 years, ten of them with Denver, and intercepted 52 passes, 34 as a member of the Broncos, four of which he returned for touchdowns. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection three times, received at least some first-team recognition after three other seasons, and was selected to the Pro Bowl 12 times, a record for a cornerback. He was named to the All-2000s Team by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His brother Rodney “Boss” Bailey also played in the NFL with the Lions and Broncos.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

2004: Thunder Defeat Galaxy in World Bowl XII for NFL Europe Title

The championship game of NFL Europe, World Bowl XII, was played on June 12, 2004 and featured the defending-champion Frankfurt Galaxy against the Berlin Thunder, who finished with the best record.

Berlin, under first-year Head Coach Rick Lantz, went 9-1 and was back in the World Bowl after the absence of a year, having won back-to-back titles in 2001 and ’02. The Thunder had the developmental league’s Offensive Player of the Year in QB Rohan Davey. RB Eric McCoo (pictured above) was NFL Europe’s leading rusher with 669 yards.

Frankfurt finished second with a 7-3 record during the regular season, although two of the losses came in late-season contests against the Thunder. The Galaxy also had a first-year head coach in Mike Jones and had the rushing runner-up in RB Skip Hicks and the second-ranked passer in QB J.T. O’Sullivan.

There were 35,413 fans in attendance at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. The Galaxy had the game’s first possession, but four plays into the contest a J.T. O’Sullivan pass was intercepted by Berlin DT Montique Sharpe, who returned it 28 yards for a touchdown. Heinz Quast added the extra point.

Frankfurt responded by driving 66 yards in 11 plays. O’Sullivan connected with WR Derrick Lewis three times and a 15-yard facemask penalty was tacked on to an eight-yard run by the quarterback. However, after getting a first down at the Berlin 11, the drive stalled and Ralf Kleinmann kicked a 28-yard field goal.

A promising series by the Thunder ended with WR Chas Gessner being stripped of the ball while trying to gain additional yards after a catch and DB Chris Brown recovered for the Dragons. Following a Barcelona punt, a nine-yard run by Eric McCoo and two completions by Rohan Davey advanced Berlin to the Dragons’ 29, but McCoo fumbled the ball away. A mishandled snap gave the Thunder possession again at the Frankfurt 36 and Davey threw to TE Bryan Fletcher for 17 yards, but once again McCoo coughed up the ball to end the series.

With two minutes remaining in the first half, and following yet another Berlin turnover, the Galaxy put together a five-play, 55-yard possession that culminated in O’Sullivan throwing to Lewis for an eight-yard TD. The drive was highlighted by an O’Sullivan carry of 17 yards that had a 15-yard personal foul penalty added on. Kleinmann successfully kicked the point after.

There was still time remaining and, utilizing a hurry-up offense, the Thunder put together a 51-yard series in seven plays. Jonathan Ruffin kicked a 38-yard field goal and the halftime score was tied at 10-10.

In the third quarter, an interception of a Davey pass by DB Lynaris Elpheage led to another scoring opportunity for Frankfurt, but a field goal attempt had to be aborted due to a bad snap and PK Kleinmann’s pass was picked off by LB Kevin DeRonde and returned 22 yards. On the next play, the Thunder utilized trickery as Davey handed off to WR Richard Alston on an apparent end-around, but he instead passed to a wide-open Chas Gessner for a 60-yard touchdown. Quast’s conversion put Berlin in front by seven points.

The ensuing kickoff was returned 64 yards by WR Hugo Lira, but two sacks kept the Galaxy at bay. The Thunder were pinned back at their two after the punt, but runs by McCoo and catches on swing passes by FB Ed Stansbury  moved the ball all the way to the Frankfurt 24. A pass into the end zone was incomplete and Ruffin kicked a 42-yard field goal to extend Berlin’s lead.

The turnovers continued as the kickoff was fumbled by WR Jason Willis to give the Thunder possession at the Frankfurt 22, and while they couldn’t reach the end zone, Ruffin added another three points from 40 yards. Berlin took a 23-10 advantage into the final quarter.

Both offenses bogged down until the Thunder scored once more on a 69-yard touchdown run by McCoo. Quast kicked the PAT. With Berlin up by a 30-10 score with six minutes to play, the game appeared to be a rout, but the Galaxy mounted a comeback. A 64-yard drive in five plays ended with O’Sullivan throwing to WR Drew Haddad for a 17-yard TD. Kleinmann again kicked the extra point.

When the Galaxy got the ball back, they drove to another score. O’Sullivan this time connected with Lewis for a 19-yard touchdown.  Kleinmann ‘s point after made it a six-point game, but that was the last gasp for the defending champs as time ran out on them and Berlin came away with a 30-24 win.

The Thunder had the edge in total yards (451 to 255), first downs (22 to 20), and time of possession (32:39 to 27:21). However, in the sloppily-played contest, both teams turned the ball over five times apiece and Berlin committed a staggering 16 penalties, at a cost of 154 yards, while Frankfurt was flagged five times.

Eric McCoo was the game’s MVP as he rushed for 167 yards on 28 carries that included the one long touchdown, making up for the two fumbles. Rohan Davey completed 19 of 29 passes for 212 yards with no TDs and one interception. Richard Alston and Ed Stansbury had five catches apiece, for 58 and 48 yards, respectively, and Chas Gessner led the Thunder with 80 yards on his two receptions.

For the Dragons, J.T. O’Sullivan was successful on 19 of 33 throws for 210 yards and three TDs while giving up two interceptions and being sacked four times. He also led the team in rushing with 44 yards on seven attempts. Derrick Lewis caught 9 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

The win gave Berlin a third NFL Europe Championship, joining Frankfurt for the most in the developmental league’s history up to that point, although the Galaxy would win a fourth in 2006.

Rohan Davey and Eric McCoo became reserves with the teams that reached the Super Bowl following the 2004 NFL season, although neither appeared in that contest. Davey was a backup to New England QB Tom Brady, throwing a total of 10 passes over the course of the year, while McCoo was active for one game with the Philadelphia Eagles and rushed for 54 yards on nine carries.

Highlighted Year: Marion Barber, 2006

Running Back, Dallas Cowboys

Age: 23

2^nd season in pro football & with Cowboys

College: Minnesota

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 218

Prelude:

Son of a former running back for the Jets of the same name (his brother Dominique also played in the NFL as a safety with the Houston Texans), Barber teamed up with RB Laurence Maroney in college to create an effective tandem. He gained 4495 all-purpose yards, 3276 via rushing. Barber entered the 2005 NFL draft after his junior year and was chosen by the Cowboys in the fourth round. Backing up RB Julius Jones, he rushed for 538 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie. With his ability to break tackles, Barber proved to be a good complement to the injury-prone Jones and became the preferred short-yardage runner in a two-back arrangement.

2006 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 135

Most attempts, game – 16 (for 83 yds.) vs. Tampa Bay 11/23

Yards – 654

Most yards, game – 83 yards (on 16 carries) vs. Tampa Bay 11/23

Average gain – 4.8 [11]

TDs – 14 [3, 1^st in NFC]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 23

Most receptions, game – 5 (for 23 yds.) vs. Detroit 12/31

Yards – 196

Most yards, game – 28 (on 2 catches) at Washington 11/5

Average gain – 8.5

TDs – 2

Scoring

TDs – 16 [3, tied with Steven Jackson, Maurice Jones-Drew & Willie Parker, 1^st in NFC]

Points – 96

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Wild Card playoff at Seattle)

Rushing attempts – 3

Rushing yards – 4

Average gain rushing – 1.3

Rushing TDs – 0

Pass receptions – 3

Pass receiving yards – 23

Average yards per reception – 7.7

Pass receiving TDs – 0

Cowboys went 9-7 to finish second in the NFC East and qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card while leading the conference in touchdowns (52). Lost NFC Wild Card playoff to Seattle Seahawks (21-20).

Aftermath:

Barber continued to be used in combination with Julius Jones in 2007 and rushed for 975 yards and 10 TDs while also catching 44 passes. He was selected to the Pro Bowl and, with the departure of Jones, moved into the starting lineup in ’08. Still a potent power runner, he was also bothered by a toe injury and, rushing for 885 yards, his yards-per-carry dropped from 4.8 to 3.7. Still, he achieved a career high with 52 pass receptions for 417 yards and scored a total of nine touchdowns. Barber ran for 932 yards in 2009 but showed signs of wear and RB Felix Jones saw more action. The toll taken by his hard-charging running style caused a quick drop in Barber’s production in 2010 as his rushing total fell to 374 yards and his career came to an end as a backup with the Chicago Bears in 2011. Overall, Barber rushed for 4780 yards and 53 touchdowns on 1156 carries (4.1 avg.), with 4358 of those yards and 47 TDs coming with Dallas. He also caught 179 passes for 1330 yards and six more TDs.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Highlighted Year: Tom Colella, 1946

Halfback, Cleveland Browns

Age: 28

5^th season in pro football, 1^st in AAFC & with Browns

College: Canisius

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 187

Prelude:

The versatile Colella was a three-time Little All-American in college and the Detroit Lions chose him in the fifth round of the 1942 NFL draft. Following two seasons as a tailback in Detroit, he was traded to the Cleveland Rams and was a member of the 1945 NFL Championship team, having been shifted to halfback in the T-formation offense while still performing in the defensive backfield and punting. Rather than move with the Rams to Los Angeles, Colella jumped to the Browns of the new AAFC for 1946.

1946 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions

Interceptions – 10 [1]

Int. return yards – 110 [3]

Int. TDs – 0

Rushing

Attempts – 30

Yards – 118

Average gain – 3.9

TDs – 2

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 1

Yards – 12

TDs – 1

Punting

Punts – 47 [4]

Yards – 1895 [5]

Average – 40.3 [6]

Punts blocked – 0

Kickoff Returns

Returns – 1

Yards – 29

TDs – 0

Punt Returns

Returns – 8 [13, tied with Cliff Lewis, Walt Clay & Ace Parker]

Yards – 172 [9]

Average per return – 21.5

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 3

Points – 18

Postseason: 1 G (AAFC Championship vs. New York)

Rushing attempts – 4

Rushing yards – 14

Average gain rushing – 3.5

Rushing TDs – 0

Punts –2

Yards – 77

Average – 38.5

Blocked – 0

Longest punt – 41 yards

Browns went 12-2 to finish first in the AAFC Western Division while leading the league in interceptions (41), fewest passing yards allowed (1317), fewest touchdowns allowed (19), and fewest points allowed (137). Won AAFC Championship over New York Yankees (14-9).  

Aftermath:

Colella again led the AAFC with six interceptions in 1947, one of which he returned for a touchdown. After one more season with Cleveland, Colella was traded to the Buffalo Bills in 1949, which was his last season. Overall, he intercepted 26 passes, five in the NFL and 21 in the AAFC, with 18 of those coming with the Browns. He also averaged 37.4 yards on 197 punts, with 97 of those kicks averaging 37.6 yards with Cleveland. 507 of his 753 rushing yards came in the NFL, as did 10 of 18 pass receptions. Colella was a charter member of the Canisius College Athletics Hall of Fame and was later inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

2001: Antowain Smith Signs with Patriots

On June 7, 2001 the New England Patriots took a step toward improving their running game by signing RB Antowain Smith to a one-year contract. The 29-year old, who started college late and was thus a comparative latecomer to the NFL, had spent the previous four years with the Buffalo Bills.

Smith didn’t play football until he was a high school senior, but excelled when he did, achieving both all-district and all-conference honors. After working for two years to support the grandparents who raised him, he moved on to Eastern Mississippi and then the University of Houston, where he ran for 1847 yards and 19 touchdowns in two seasons.

Smith was chosen by the Bills in the first round of the 1997 NFL draft and backed up RB Thurman Thomas as a rookie but still managed to rush for 840 yards. He followed up with 1124 yards in ’98 as he became the starting tailback. However, injuries, which would become a recurring problem, dropped Smith’s production to 614 yards in 1999, although he performed well in the postseason loss at Tennessee (14 carries for 79 yards and two TDs). In 2000 he appeared in 11 games, starting only three of them, as he found himself out of favor with offensive coordinator Joe Pendry.

With a new front office and coaching staff taking over, the Bills released Smith. He joined a New England squad that had yet to suitably replace star RB Curtis Martin, who departed for the Jets following the 1997 season. J.R. Redmond, a third-round draft choice in 2000, had been the latest disappointment. He started five games and ran for 406 yards in an injury-plagued year while Kevin Faulk, better suited to a part-time role, led the club with 570 yards on the ground. The team as a whole dropped to 5-11 in the first season under Head Coach Bill Belichick and was seeking to retool. Smith was the sort of player that New England was rebuilding with – another club’s misfit who nevertheless was also a highly-motivated, team-oriented type and played with passion.

Smith moved into the lineup and became part of a surprising turnaround by the Patriots that culminated in a NFL Championship. While the biggest story was the injury to QB Drew Bledsoe that opened the door for the unsung Tom Brady, Smith helped by having his best season. A slow start gave way to a 94-yard, two-TD performance against the Colts in the third contest and he had three hundred-yard performances in four weeks at midseason. He reached a high of 156 yards on 26 carries against Miami in the next-to-last game and ended up with 287 rushes for 1157 yards (4.0 avg.) and 12 touchdowns. In the playoffs, Smith gained another 204 yards that included 92 on 18 attempts in the Super Bowl upset of the Rams.

Smith spent two more seasons with the Patriots, rushing for 982 yards in 2002 and catching a career-high 31 passes for 243 yards, although he scored only six touchdowns on the ground and, at age 31, appeared to be wearing down. While New England again reached the top in ’03, Smith was less productive and was released in the offseason. His last hundred-yard game for the Patriots was an even 100 on 22 carries against the Colts in the AFC Championship game, and he rushed for 83 yards on 26 attempts in the Super Bowl vs. Carolina, his final game with the club.

Smith played another two years, with Tennessee in 2004 and New Orleans in ’05, and finished up with 6881 rushing yards on 1784 carries (3.9 avg.) and 54 TDs. Never much of a receiver out of the backfield, he had 136 pass receptions for 982 yards (7.2 avg.) and three TDs. Not a breakaway threat, he was a solid power runner who was at his best carrying the ball between the tackles and wearing defenses down. In 2001, most notably, his performance helped to take pressure off of a promising young quarterback, who could typically stick to a conservative passing game, with excellent results.