Fred Smoot

Last updated

Fred Smoot
Fred smoot 2017 (cropped).jpg
Smoot in 2017
No. 21, 27
Position: Cornerback
Personal information
Born: (1979-04-17) April 17, 1979 (age 44)
Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school: Provine
(Jackson, Mississippi)
College: Mississippi State
NFL draft: 2001  / Round: 2 / Pick: 45
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:129
Games started:104
Tackles:450
Interceptions:21
Forced fumbles:5
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Fredrick Smoot (born April 17, 1979) is a former American professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for Mississippi State University, and was recognized as an All-American. The Washington Redskins chose him in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft, and played for the Minnesota Vikings as well.

Contents

Early years

Smoot was born in Jackson, Mississippi. He attended Provine High School in Jackson, and played for the Provine Rams high school football team. He was selected to play in the Mississippi-Alabama high school all-star game as a senior. [1]

College career

Smoot attended Hinds Community College from 1997 to 1998 and Mississippi State University, where he played for the Mississippi State Bulldogs football team from 1999 to 2000. He started his junior and senior years, and was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection both years, and a consensus first-team All-American as a senior. [2] He was also a finalist for the Conerly Trophy in 2000.

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeight Bench press
5 ft 11+3⁄8 in
(1.81 m)		172 lb
(78 kg)		1 reps
All values from NFL Combine [3] [4]

First stint with Redskins

Smoot was drafted by the Washington Redskins as the 14th pick in the second round (45th pick overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State. [5] Many believed he was a first-round caliber player but because of questionable off-the-field problems many teams shied away from him. Afterwards, he proclaimed himself to be the steal of the draft. In Smoot's four years with the Redskins, he collected 16 interceptions, and formed an impressive duo with Champ Bailey.

Minnesota Vikings

Following a strong season as part of the impressive Redskins defense in 2004, Smoot left the club as a free agent to sign with the Minnesota Vikings. However, he was not able to duplicate his success in Minnesota.

Smoot reportedly bulked up in the 2006 offseason. His playing weight was listed at 178 lb for the 2005 season and in May 2006 the press reported he weighed about 200 lb. He faced very stiff competition for the starting spot since the Vikings drafted cornerback Cedric Griffin in the second round and cornerback Ronyell Whitaker was named All NFL Europa. In the third game of the season against Chicago, Smoot sat out the opening drive reportedly for discipline reasons. Coach Brad Childress said that was between him and Smoot. In the 11th game of the season, Smoot was benched in favor of starting Griffin instead. Childress said the switch was merited in performance and Griffin had been doing an excellent job.

Love Boat scandal

Smoot was at the center of the 2005 Minnesota Vikings boat cruise scandal involving several of his Minnesota Vikings' teammates. Some Vikings players had rented a boat on Lake Minnetonka and reportedly hired prostitutes to have a "sex party" on the boat. Smoot allegedly held a purple double-headed dildo and inserted it into the vaginas of two women who were lying on the floor in the lounge area. After one woman left, he continued to "manipulate the dildo" inside the other woman in front of the young crew. [6] Formal charges for the Boat Scandal were filed on December 15. Smoot was also alleged to have organized the whole party, an accusation he denied. [7]

On May 2, 2006, Smoot pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and being a public nuisance on a watercraft in connection with the Love Boat scandal. He agreed to pay a $1,007 fine and perform 48 hours of community service. [8] Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said, in addition to community service, he would participate in numerous service events that season. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said fines were likely, but Smoot would not be suspended.

On September 9, 2006, the NFL imposed a fine equivalent to one game's salary against Smoot and former Vikings teammate Bryant McKinnie for their role in the Love Boat scandal, Smoot's fine was $82,352.

Smoot at Washington Redskins training camp in 2008. Fred Smoot.jpg
Smoot at Washington Redskins training camp in 2008.

Car crash

Smoot broke his jaw in a single-vehicle crash in Mississippi on December 22, 2006, where he was spending the week. His jaw was broken in five different spots. As a result, he was out for the rest of the season.

Second stint with the Redskins

He was released on March 1, 2007 from the Vikings. On March 3, 2007, the Redskins signed Smoot to a five-year deal worth $25 million. [9] He was released on March 4, 2010.

NFL career statistics

Legend
BoldCareer high

Regular season

YearTeamGamesTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
GPGSCmbSoloAstSckTFLIntYdsTDLngPDFFFRYdsTD
2001 WAS 1413333030.00536036120100
2002 WAS 16166250120.02412012141000
2003 WAS 1515585080.0343503590000
2004 WAS 1515615560.02317017132100
2005 MIN 118413740.00200090000
2006 MIN 1411635940.04147147521290
2007 WAS 1311504460.00147047100000
2008 WAS 1695443110.00100070000
2009 WAS 156282260.00000060000
129104450390600.011211941478553290

Playoffs

YearTeamGamesTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
GPGSCmbSoloAstSckTFLIntYdsTDLngPDFFFRYdsTD
2007 WAS 115500.00000000000
115500.00000000000

Personal life

Smoot has advocated for the passage of the FIT Kids Act, federal legislation that would require school districts to report on students' physical activity while also distributing health and nutritional information. [10]

Domestic violence accusation

On November 25, 2014, Smoot was arrested by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office on a domestic abuse charge against his former girlfriend, Valerie Jackson. [11] Smoot was officially cleared of all charges on January 6, 2015. [12]

Civil misdemeanor charge

On August 10, 2023, Smoot surrendered himself to the Loudoun County sheriff's department and arrested on a civil misdemeanor charge of "failure to comply with a support obligation". [13] Smoot claimed to be initially unaware of his arrest warrants due to them being sent to an address where he no longer lived. Smoot was released by the sheriff's department the following day. [14]

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On October 6, 2005, an alleged sex party occurred on Lake Minnetonka with seventeen members of the Minnesota Vikings football team; including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, Fred Smoot, Mewelde Moore, Pat Williams, Bryant McKinnie, Nate Burleson, Ralph Brown, Jermaine Wiggins, Troy Williamson, Travis Taylor, Kevin Williams, Lance Johnstone, Moe Williams, and Willie Offord. Two houseboats were rented and some, but not all, of the players performed sexual acts in front of crew members. Prostitutes from Atlanta and Florida were flown in for the party, in order to perform the sex acts. There were at least ninety people on the two boats, and Smoot later estimated that there were 100 women present. An anonymous former player of the Minnesota Vikings claimed that this is not the first time that such an incident had happened. The scandal has sometimes been referred to as the Love Boat scandal after the television program, or as the Smoot Boat Scandal in the news.

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References

  1. ↑ "Fred Smoot". NFLPLAYERS.COM.
  2. ↑ 2011 NCAA Football Records Book, Award Winners, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Indianapolis, Indiana, p. 11 (2011). Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  3. ↑ "2001 NFL Draft Scout Fred Smoot College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Athletes You Are Probably Stronger Than". BleacherReport.com. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  5. ↑ "2001 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  6. ↑ Baenen, Jeff. "Culpepper, three other Vikings charged in boat-party scandal". USA Today. Retrieved December 15, 2005.
  7. ↑ Williams, Brandt (December 15, 2005). "Four Vikings charged in boat party scandal". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Smoot, McKinnie plead guilty in party-boat case". espn.com. Associated Press. May 27, 2006. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Smoot Signs, Returns to the Redskins". Commanders.com. March 6, 2007. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  10. ↑ NFL Players Promoted Increased Physical Education ESPN, March 19, 2009
  11. ↑ Chumley, Cheryl (November 25, 2014). "Fred Smoot arrested for domestic violence; ex-Redskin released on $2,500 bond". WashingtonTimes.com. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Ex-Redskins CB Fred Smoot found not guilty of domestic assault". SI.com. January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  13. ↑ FOX 5 DC Digital Team (August 11, 2023). "Former Washington football star Fred Smoot arrested in Virginia". Fox5DC.com. Retrieved August 11, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ↑ Keim, John (August 11, 2023). "Commanders broadcaster Fred Smoot arrested on civil misdemeanor charge". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
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