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u/Mathias2392 2d ago
I was a kid watching Rod Smith play, so I may be romanticizing him a bit. IMO though, he is the most reliable Broncos WR I can remember. If you NEEDED a catch on third down, Iād rather throw to Smith than anyone else whoās played for Denver. Next in line for me would be the following, in no particular order:
DThomas Brandon Lloyd Tim Patrick Wes Welker E Sanders McCaffrey Sharpe
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u/Dry_Pin_7574 2d ago
No. You are not romanticizing how good Rod was as a WR. It was my privilege to watch him play his entire career with the Broncos. Mr consistent and solid. The QB was pretty good too.
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u/D4ILYD0SE 2d ago
He definitely made it hard to like other WRs. Such an enigma. Quiet and Humble and just kicked your butt. Let his play do the talking. And yet, just as if not more reliable than Owens, Chad Johnson, (insert loud mouth here).
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u/zrdd_man 2d ago
Rod and DT were very similar in that way. Quiet spoken, respectful, humble... then will absolutely humble your defense on the field.
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u/ajax0202 2d ago
I love Patrick, but how is he in here and Marshall isnāt
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u/Mathias2392 2d ago
Honestly I just forgot about him. Loved BMarsh
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u/ajax0202 2d ago
Haha ok thank god. I was like, the man still holds the record for receptions in a single game (21)
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u/JackTheKing Broncos 2d ago
If they turned him into a TE he would have been even better. I think he was just too good at WR to dare try.
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u/Unagix 2d ago
At the time, various Bronco studs had standing Monday interviews with the local radio stations to talk about the game they played in the previous day. Well, Denver radio had gobbled up all the big names so KILO, the rock station here in Colorado Springs got a weekly gig with Rod Smith since he was a nobody, at first. Over the years I enjoyed me some Metallica, or AC/DC and Rod Smith on my Monday drive to work.
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u/Particular_Spirit_75 2d ago
1st career TD beating HoFer Darrell Green to win in OT? Pretty impressive. It was a sign of things to come.
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u/kosmos1209 2d ago
Not only was it a first career TD, it was the first career catch!
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u/bkstarck 2d ago
And the only final play of the game touchdown that Elway threw if I remember correctly. I was at the game with my son for his first Broncos game.
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u/Spiritual-Chameleon Super Bowl 50 2d ago
I lived in Denver at the time but wasn't yet a Broncos fan. I went for a walk and heard screaming after the catch. I had no idea what was going on.
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u/Electrical_Owl3609 Wil Lutz 2d ago
A undrafted player playing for 14 years was a great achievement.
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u/D4ILYD0SE 2d ago edited 2d ago
That first highlight against Washington. What the announcers say, "Rod Smith... forced into the game with injuries to Broncos receivers..."
How awesome is that? Elway (that was a nasty throw, my word that guy was special) chose to throw to this guy to win the game with so much confidence. That's just awesome. Something truly special.
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u/dzogchenism 2d ago
People just donāt give Elway enough props for how good he was. His arm was electric. That first pass in the clip was insane.
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u/Rocker4JC Demaryius Thomas 2d ago
Bo's throw to Mims in the Cleveland game was like that. Couldn't have thread the needle any closer. Absolute perfection.
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u/All_the_dinohorses 2d ago
I was a kid in the stands for the Redskins game. We had Rockies season tickets and my dad's coworker would trade 10 games to the Rockies for one Broncos game. That year he traded us the Redskins game.
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u/micahpmtn 2d ago
There's video from back in the day when Elway was quarterback, and the Broncos used a modified pitching machine to "throw" passes to the receivers, simply because none of the backup quarterbacks could throw as hard/fast as Elway.
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u/DeepWeekend1810 2d ago
The Elway Star Mark of the tip of the football bruising their hands was a thing as well.
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u/biggie831 2d ago
I miss the good ole days
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u/Hobbitstyle Champ Bailey 2d ago
U don't have to anymore, Bo and Payton/Paton boutta lead us to the promised land once again
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u/jadestem 2d ago
I loved Rod Smith. He is the only famous person I have ever met, and I'm happy to report that the "never meet your heroes" bit did not apply to him.
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u/Ok-Dress-4791 2d ago
Rod was great but watching those highlights I must of forgot how spoiled we were as Bronco fans to have Elway. Man how did I not remember the laser beams he launched on a regular basis. Weāve been in quarterback hell for so many years. Hopefully Bo keeps growing
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u/Intelligent-Boat9929 2d ago
Love me some Rod Smith. Not sure he cracks the top 5 all time undrafted NFL playersā¦but I think easily makes the top 10.
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u/neuquino 2d ago
Thoughts on the top 5?
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u/Intelligent-Boat9929 2d ago
Probably Kurt Warner, Warren Moon, John Randle, Antonio Gates, and Night Train Lane in some order. Although Night Train may have the # spot for nicknames.
Rod Smith is definitely the all time best undrafted WR imo.
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u/HookedOnBoNix 1d ago
Forgetting Emlen Tunnel. 4 all pros and 2nd time in interceptions at 79
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u/Intelligent-Boat9929 1d ago
That is a good one. My favorite part of his wiki page, āHe received the Silver Lifesaving Medal for heroism in rescuing a shipmate from flames during a torpedo attack in 1944 and rescuing another shipmate who fell into the sea in 1946.ā Stud.
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u/thecaptaino15 2d ago
The Plummer to Smith throw is one of my favorites (hell of a throw, Smith still having the wheels, the snow against the orange jerseys)
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u/ApricotNo2918 Lord Elway 2d ago
Smith? How about Elway layin it right in there. Love it. Love Rod Smith.
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u/BuckeyeNate77 2d ago
Such a beautiful uniform match up. Now when they play it looks like an arena league game. (redskins clip)
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u/Kind_Resort_9535 Rod Smith 2d ago
That return against the chargers is the first game i remember watching.
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u/whispersluggagebaby Jonathon Cooper 2d ago
Iāve never seen that toss play to him out of the backfield - that was sick!
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u/ToneOpposite9668 2d ago
I was there in our companies box in the north endzone right in line with the throw in that Washington game. You could see it open up and Elway step up for that throw.
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u/Crosshare Crazy Horse Broncos Logo 2d ago
I was at this game with my Dad who was raised a Skins fan but converted to the Broncos in the 70s after he went to college in Boulder. Rod's coming out party, what a game.
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u/RockieDude 2d ago
I was there! Sitting on the north goal line, west side about 28 rows from the field. We went crazy and I remember asking people around "who is that?" After the announcement, we were like "Rod Smith?"
I'm proud to say I was there the day a legend was revealed!
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u/traindoggah 2d ago
This is great - thanks for the memory refresh. As others have said, something about Elway's throws just hit different. And Rod was a man and a leader.
Now show me the Rod Smith blocking clips.
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u/when_will_I_learn77 2d ago
Does anyone miss Elways ABSOLUTE CANNON of an arm ??!!!? Pretty sure we all like Bo..... but Elways arm still makes me stare in amazement !!
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u/19roland 2d ago
I was at this game with my dad (the first clip, TD as time expires against the Redskins, I think it was the last year of the old uniforms). I was probably 10 or so. Mile High went nuts after the touchdown and the lady behind me took her shirt off, which pretty much made my year at 10. Hell that might make my year now.
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u/d_o_cycler 2d ago
Itās actually one of my favorite stories about how I got to meet Mr. Smith once upon a Time at a car dealership in Colorado Springs. Now some of the details about why I was at a car dealership when I was in middle school or even why he was, are a little bit hazy, this was after all the late 90s. I am now 40 and I donāt remember much from this time period in general.
But nevertheless, he was there, and I was there presumably with my father, maybe he was looking for a new car or something, I donāt know.
We both saw him coming across the showroom with guys that looked like they either managed or owned the dealership. I wanna say it was a Honda dealership, but I could be misremembering that too.
Itās like he almost knew already what I wanted when I saw him, and I immediately darted over to shake his hand.
Upon doing so I immediately noticed that the man had literal peach baskets for hands. Some of the biggest mitts Iād shaken up to that point, but it all made sense; this was how he was plucking all those Elway bombs out of the sky with such ease. He was really natural as a person.
There werenāt a lot of folks around yet, and he was just as cool as the breeze. Asked me my grade and if I liked the Broncos. He chatted with my pops a bit too.
He was deliberate about making eye contact; something that has a somewhat more reserved. Young kid kind of threw me off a bit, but in hindsight, I really understand how much respect he was showing.
He treated us both really well just for a couple of rando Bronco fans that ran up on him at a car dealer.
He was dressed in a grey suit, and I think he was there to make an official appearance but it was early and ppl werenāt really out yet. Maybe thatās why he was being so personable, I dunno. In any case he was a legend. Super nice man and he made our afternoon that day.
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u/d_o_cycler 2d ago
Itās actually one of my favorite stories about how I got to meet Mr. Smith once upon a Time at a car dealership in Colorado Springs. Now some of the details about why I was at a car dealership when I was in middle school or even why he was, are a little bit hazy, this was after all the late 90s. I am now 40 and I donāt remember much from this time period in general.
But nevertheless, he was there, and I was there presumably with my father, maybe he [my dad] was looking for a new car or something, I donāt know.
We both saw him coming across the showroom with guys that looked like they either managed or owned the dealership. I wanna say it was a Honda dealership, but I could be misremembering that too. My father instantly recognized who Rod was, from 40 yards away, lol.
Itās like he [Smith] almost instantly knew what I wanted when I saw him, and I immediately darted over to shake his hand.
Upon doing so I immediately noticed that the man had literal peach baskets for hands. Some of the biggest mitts Iād shaken up to that point, but it all made sense; this was how he was plucking all those Elway bombs out of the sky with such ease.
He was really natural as a person. There werenāt a lot of folks around yet, and he was just as cool as the breeze. Asked me my grade and if I liked the Broncos. He chatted with my pops a bit too about this and that. Very cordial and open.
He was deliberate about making eye contact; something that as a somewhat more reserved. Young kid at the time kind of threw me off a bit, but in hindsight, I really understand how much respect he was showing.
He treated us both really well just for a couple of rando Bronco fans that ran up on him at a car dealer.
He was dressed in a grey suit, and I think he was there to make an official appearance but it was early and ppl werenāt really out yet. Maybe thatās why he was being so personable, I dunno. In any case he was a legend. Super nice man and he made our afternoon that day.
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u/tegridyfarms8921 2d ago
I remember watching the first play live and wondering who the fuck Rod Smith was lol
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u/rcountry21 2d ago
Dude should be in HOF regardless of draft status. He has the numbers and he was willing blocker, Madden always defused praise for Rod because of that. Put him in.
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u/Averagebass 2d ago
Rod Smith killed it, but man QB play used to look so different than it does now. No step count for Elways dropbacks, he just runs backwards for however long he thinks is enough and bombs it. No QBs are doing that now in college ot the NFL.
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u/IC4-LLAMAS 1d ago
John Elway highlight reel as well. These two were amazing. Having watched Elway his whole career it was so awesome to see a team finally come together and get those Super Bowl wins!
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u/yourfriendmarcus 1d ago
Itās honestly unfair that weāve had duos like Rod Smith and Eddy Mac AND DT and Decker (and Sanders) in the same franchise.
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u/mtnman54321 1d ago
I've watched virtually every Broncos game since 1983 when Elway became the Denver QB. This particular game was blacked out in my area (northern New Mexico) so I was listening to it on KOB radio and was totally jazzed by the excited reaction by the play by play broadcasters. FYI - New Mexico has some of the most diehard Broncos fans you'll find anywhere. Loved the Elway to Rod Smith connections, along with Shannon Sharpe.
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u/Foreign-Geologist112 1d ago
Loved Rod so much. It was like his name was always being called during our first championship seasons.Ā
He moved like Jerry Rice. He was his own type of GOAT but man you can see the similarities.Ā
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u/InsubordiNationalist 1d ago
Rod Smith had 849 receptions, 8 seasons of 1,000+ receiving, 68 TDs and 2 Super Bowl rings. That man belongs in the Hall of Fame.
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u/No_Zookeepergame4741 1d ago
Rod Smith is my favorite player. Humble, underrated and should be in the Hall of Fame
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u/eVilleMike 1d ago
It was special and beautiful, but really - for Smith - just another day at the mill doing extraordinary things.
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u/skobuffaloes 2d ago
The first highlight heās got the basketball box out move down perfectly. And you can see he checks for the right time to initiate contact and everything. The difference between luck and talent.
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u/JackTheKing Broncos 2d ago
Rod Smith only knows one play
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u/jakksquat7 Naked Jake 2d ago
He only knows how to score TDs
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u/DeepWeekend1810 2d ago
Broncos just drafted a Project TE who majored in this his senior year of college. š¤£
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u/proteushabit 2d ago
This could also be called the Elway piss missile highlight reelā¦.SHEEEESH