FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2009

Rod Smith to be inducted into College Football Hall of Fame

Irving, Texas - Former Lions great and Missouri Southern Hall of Famer Rod Smith has been named among a list of three other players and two coaches for enshrinement to the College Football Hall of Fame Divisional Class of 2009. Smith is also part of the Division II Football Hall of Fame, as well as the Arkansas, Missouri and Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.

Smith will be inducted as part of the Enshrinement Festival on July 17-19, 2009 into the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana. Of the more than 4.8 million individuals that have participated in college football, fewer than 1,000 have had the privilege of being enshrined into the Hall. Smith is just the second MIAA football player to be enshrined as Ken Dement, a 1950's Southeast Missouri product was inducted in 1998.

The College Football Hall of Fame is part of the National Football Foundation, Inc. and was founded 61 years ago by Grantland Rice, General Douglas MacArthur and Coach Earl "Red" Blaik. Since then, the National Football Foundation has served as the leading voice in the promotion of amateur football.

A native of Texarkana, Ark., Smith enjoyed a stellar career at Southern, where he set MIAA records in career receiving yards (3,122) and touchdowns (35). He also still holds school records for catches in a game (13), receiving yards in a game (254), receiving yards in a season (1,439), highest average gain per reception in a season (24.0), touchdown receptions in a season (15) and longest pass reception (98 yards). He finished his career with 158 receptions for 3,122 yards and 34 touchdowns, which is now third all-time in Division II.

Smith helped the Lions to their last MIAA title and NCAA post season appearance when the team went 9-1-1 in 1993. That season, he was named first-team All-America by the Associated Press, Kodak, Football Gazette and NCAA Division II sports information directors. In 1993, Smith caught 63 passes for 986 yards and 13 touchdowns, and was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award, given annually to the top football player in Division II. He was named Missouri Southern’s Outstanding Graduate in 1994 after completing his collegiate studies with three degrees in economics and finance, general business, as well as marketing and management.

Smith entered the NFL with the Broncos as a college free agent on May 3, 1994. He holds Broncos' franchise records for career receptions (849), receiving yards (11,389), touchdown catches (68) and overall touchdowns (71). He also leads all undrafted players in NFL history in every major career-receiving category. Smith entered the 2007 season ranked 11th in overall league annals in career receptions, 17th in career receiving yards, and tied for 30th in career receiving touchdowns. In 2005, he became one of 25 players in NFL history to reach 10,000 career yards, a feat he accomplished on Monday Night Football vs. Kansas City (9/26/05). Smith is the first player from the MIAA to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl, and the first to play for two Super Bowl winning teams (Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII).

He leads all undrafted players in NFL history in every major career receiving category. He posted eight career 1,000 yard seasons, including six straight from 1997-2002. He is also one of just six players to have back-to-back seasons with 100 receptions. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2000, 2001, and 2004. He retired from the NFL this past season.

Smith was inducted into the Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003 and is the only football player in Southern history to have his number (9) retired.