This auction is for the following Neil Smith Kanas City Chiefs (1988–1996), 104 Career NFL Sacks autographed 8x10 inch photograph.

 

BIO: Neil Smith Kanas City Chiefs (1988–1996), 104 Career NFL Sacks, Drafted in 1988 in the 1st round 2nd overall pick, 2× Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII), 6× Pro Bowl (1991–1995, 1997), First-Team All-Pro (1993), 3× Second-Team All-Pro (1992, 1995, 1997), NFL forced fumbles co-leader (1994), NFL sacks leader (1993), NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, Kansas City Chiefs Ring of Honor Hall of Fame and All-American (1987). During his career he played for the following teams: Kansas City Chiefs (1988–1996), Denver Broncos (1997–1999) and San Diego Chargers (2000). Smith finished his 13 NFL seasons with 104.5 sacks, 30 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, 19 return yards, and 1 touchdown. He also intercepted 4 passes, returning them for 68 yards and a touchdown.

 

Mr. Smith was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1988 to 1996, the Denver Broncos from 1997 to 1999, and the San Diego Chargers in 2000. Before his NFL career, he played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, where he was an All-American in 1987. He also co-owned an Arena Football team, the Kansas City Command. The Chiefs, who had the third pick, made it known to everyone before the 1988 NFL Draft that they intended to take Smith. The Detroit Lions, picking second, threatened to pick Smith and the Chiefs were forced to move up one slot to make sure that Smith would be their pick. Incidentally, one of the draft picks the Chiefs surrendered in order to move up turned out to be star linebacker Chris Spielman. Smith's pre-draft measurables were head-turning. He was 6'4½", weighed 260 pounds, had a 7-foot-1½-inch arm span, and ran a 4.55 forty-yard dash.

 

One of the top defensive linemen of his era, Smith made the Pro Bowl 6 times during his career (1991–1995 and 1997), and led the NFL with 15 sacks in the 1993 season. With the Broncos, Smith won 2 NFL championship rings for Super Bowl XXXII and Super Bowl XXXIII. In the 1998 Divisional Playoffs against the Miami Dolphins, Smith cemented the 38-3 Broncos victory with a 79-yard fumble return for a touchdown, and in Super Bowl XXXII, he recorded a key fumble recovery that set up a Broncos field goal.

 

Smith's trademark sack celebration, which consisted of him pantomiming swinging a baseball bat, was invented in tribute to another Kansas City sports hero, Hall Of Famer George Brett. There was a rule created in his name. The "Neil Smith" rule, enacted in 1998, prevents a defensive lineman from flinching to induce a false start penalty on the offense. Neil Smith was a Co-Owner of the Kansas City Brigade, a team in the Arena Football League from 2006 until 2008. Smith appeared as a panelist on the Nickelodeon game show Figure it Out. He also appeared in a series of Campbell's Chunky Soup commercials. The Kansas City Command retired #90 in his honor.

 

THIS IS AN AUTHENTIC HAND AUTOGRAPHED 8x10 PHOTOGRAPH. I ONLY SELL AUTHENTIC HAND AUTOGRAPHED MEMORABILIA. I do not sell reprints or facsimile autographs. When you bid on my items you will receive the real deal authentic hand autographed items. You will receive the same signed 8x10 photograph that is pictured in the scan. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me. I combine S&H when multiple items are purchased. I currently have other rare autographed historical and sports signed items available. Please take a look at my other auctions of rare military, historical and sports autographed items.