Smith's mother raised him and two siblings in Columbus, Ohio, then moved to the Glenville neighborhood of Cleveland. Smith first brought out an interest in playing football in Cleveland, where he played for the Glenville A's, initially as running back and tight end. Irvin White, his coach, moved Smith to quarterback after a few games and Smith stayed in the position.
In 1993, Smith was placed in foster care with Diane and Irvin White while his mother dealt with personal issues.[1]
High school career
Smith played his first two years at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio, but was thrown off the team after elbowing an opponent in the head while playing in a varsity basketball game.[2] He transferred to Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio shortly thereafter.
Smith graduated from Glenville, where he was coached by Ted Ginn Sr., father of his teammate Ted Ginn Jr. Smith and Ginn went on to play together at Ohio State. After his junior football season in high school, Smith was invited to participate in the Elite 11 competition, featuring the eleven top ranked high school quarterback prospects in the United States. He earned good praise following his performance, and although it was relatively late in the recruiting process, Ohio State offered Smith a football scholarship. He verbally committed to the Buckeyes, signing his letter of intent on February 6, 2002, the last player for the upcoming season.
Smith threw for 969 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior year. He played alongside wide receiver, Ted Ginn Jr., while leading Glenville to the state playoffs.
Smith also played three years of basketball and ran track (high jump, long jump and 1,600-meter relay). West Virginia University and Ohio State recruited him. Smith accepted the last scholarship of Ohio State's 2002 football recruiting class.[3]
Smith received an athletic scholarship to attend Ohio State University, where he played for coach Jim Tressel's Ohio State Buckeyes football team from 2003 to 2006. He redshirted in the 2002 season where the Buckeyes beat Miami in the National Championship. As a redshirtedfreshman for the Buckeyes, Smith played sparingly at running back and kick returner in 2003. Smith played the season opener against Washington as a scatback and returner, and he compiled fourteen yards rushing and 83 return yards. After the game, he came on the NFL scouting radar as an "athlete."
He entered his sophomore season as the backup quarterback to Justin Zwick, but took over as the starter when Zwick was injured halfway through the 2004 season against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Smith won four of the five games he started in 2004, including a victory over the archrival Michigan Wolverines. Smith was suspended for breaking an undisclosed team rule before the Alamo Bowl, with the NCAA extending the suspension to include the first game of the 2005 season after it was revealed that Smith had accepted $500 from a booster.[4][5]
With Smith at quarterback, Ohio State lost only two games in the 2005 regular season, and in only one of those was Smith the starter. The first was to the eventual BCS National ChampionTexas Longhorns (which he did not start) and the other was to the Penn State Nittany Lions, co-Big Ten champions. Smith's 2005 stats included 2,282 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. This led to a passer rating of 162.66, the fourth-highest of the season.[6] He rushed for 611 yards and 11 touchdowns on 136 carries. In January 2006, he was named the Offensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl, after leading the Buckeyes to a 34–20 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
In the second week of the 2006 season, Smith and the Buckeyes took revenge for their 2005 loss to Texas. The top ranked Buckeyes won their rematch with the (again) second-ranked Longhorns, 24–7. Smith went 17 of 27 with 269 yards passing, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. For many fans and analysts, Smith's performance against the Longhorns gave credibility to the preseason Heisman Trophy hype he had received. His passing statistics improved during the 2006 season, completing 67% of his passes for 2,507 yards, with 30 touchdowns and five interceptions. This led to a quarterback rating of 167.87, again fourth in the country.[7]
Teammates voted Smith the 2006 most valuable player.[9] On December 7, 2006, the Davey O'Brien Foundation awarded Smith the Davey O'Brien Award for best college quarterback.[10] He was also a first-team All-Big Ten selection, and was recognized as a unanimous All-American.
In three games against Michigan, Smith has a total of 1,151 yards of total offense, two rushing touchdowns, and seven passing touchdowns. The Buckeyes won all three games, making Smith the first Ohio State quarterback since Tippy Dye (1934–1936) to quarterback in three victories over Michigan, and the first to win three straight games against Michigan as a starter.[11]
Smith's college football career came to an end on January 8, 2007, when he and the Ohio State Buckeyes were beaten by the Florida Gators in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game, 41–14. Smith completed just four of 14 passes for 35 yards along with an interception, a fumble, and was sacked five times.
He graduated with a bachelor's degree in communication.
In 2010, Adam Rittenberg of ESPN listed Smith as the "Big Ten player of the decade."[12]
Heisman Trophy
Smith won the 2006 Heisman Memorial Trophy on December 9, 2006.[13] He beat out sophomore RB Darren McFadden (2nd) from Arkansas and senior QB Brady Quinn (3rd), from Notre Dame.[14]
In winning the 2006 Heisman Trophy, Smith took 91.6% of the first place votes, a record that stood for 13 years. His tally of 2,540 votes was the third largest behind that of the then-2005 Heisman Trophy winner, Reggie Bush of the University of Southern California (2,541 votes) and 1968 Heisman winner O. J. Simpson who also played for USC (2,853 votes). His margin of victory (1,662 votes) was also the second largest in the history of the award, eclipsed only by O. J. Simpson who won by 1,750 votes.
As a graduating senior, Smith entered professional football in the 2007 NFL Draft. Despite winning the Heisman Trophy, Smith saw his draft stock drop considerably after the 41–14 loss to Florida in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. At 6'0", his height (considered smaller than ideal) was cited as a liability.[21] Smith was quoted by the media urging his hometown team, the Cleveland Browns, to select him in the NFL Draft. Fans also set up a website urging the Browns to take Smith. However, the Browns drafted Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, a fellow Ohio native, 22nd overall in the 2007 NFL Draft, reducing the chances of Smith going to Cleveland.[22][23]
On Day 2, Smith was finally drafted at the end of the fifth round by the Baltimore Ravens.[24] He signed a three-year contract with the Ravens on July 24, 2007.[25] On August 27, 2007 Drew Olson was released by the Baltimore Ravens elevating Smith to the third-string quarterback position. Smith was named second-string quarterback for the Ravens on November 13, 2007, backing up new starter Kyle Boller after a shoulder injury to starter Steve McNair. Ravens head coach Brian Billick maintained that Smith could be used in the future. "That's going to be a fun challenge for Troy, because now he's been around enough", Billick said. "The focus and attention that he brings to [preparing] is heightened."[26]
Smith got his first regular season playing time in the fourth quarter of the home game against the Indianapolis Colts on December 9, 2007, completing three of five pass attempts and scrambling six yards for his first NFL touchdown in the 44–20 loss. After his relative success against the Colts, many Baltimore Ravens fans were calling for Smith to replace Kyle Boller as the Ravens' starting quarterback. On December 16, 2007, Smith came in for an injured Kyle Boller in the game against the Miami Dolphins. Smith led the Ravens down the field for a field goal that forced overtime. The Ravens lost 22–16 in overtime, after a missed 44-yard field goal. On December 20, 2007, Kyle Boller officially was considered the backup due to injury for the Week 16 game, giving Troy Smith his first professional start against the Seattle Seahawks. He completed fewer than 50% of his passes and fumbled twice in this game. The Ravens lost 27–6, scoring a touchdown with about four minutes to play and the game out of reach.[27] In Week 17, the Ravens beat the Steelers with Troy Smith starting again. He went 16-of-27 for 171 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions and no fumbles lost. This was the Ravens first win since Week 6, ending a 9-game losing streak with a bye at Week 8.
Smith finished his rookie season by totaling 506 total yards and three touchdowns in four games. He had 452 yards and two touchdowns passing and rushed for 54 yards and one touchdown.[28]
Smith was scheduled to start in the third preseason game of the 2008 season, but became ill with a rare disease called Lemierre's syndrome.[29] Due to Smith's illness, rookie Joe Flacco was named to the Ravens' starting quarterback position. Early in the season Smith re-emerged in the offense as part of their two-quarterback offense, and was utilized for short-yardage runs. This offense featured Smith lining up at the wide receiver spot as well as under center. Smith appeared in only six of the Ravens' 19 games and had a total of 4 passing attempts for 82 yards in the 2008 season.[30]
For the 2009 season, Flacco was named the starting quarterback for the second consecutive year, while Smith was active for only four of sixteen games. Smith completed five of nine passes for 24 yards with one interception during the season. In addition, he also rushed eight times for thirty-one yards, including his career-long fifteen-yard touchdown run.[31]
Smith re-signed with the Ravens for one-year worth $1.101 million. Smith received the low 5th round tender as a restricted free agent. However, no team was willing to part ways with the pick so Smith was not signed. After signing Marc Bulger as the team's backup to Joe Flacco, the Ravens released Smith on September 4.[32]
San Francisco 49ers
Smith with the 49ers.
On September 6, 2010, Smith signed with the San Francisco 49ers, in a move that reunited him with former high school and college teammate, Ted Ginn Jr.[33]
On October 27, Smith was announced as the starter of the 49ers' game against the Denver Broncos. He became the first black quarterback to start for San Francisco.[34] During this game, Smith ran for one touchdown and threw another in a 24–16 49ers win. Smith struggled early on, passing for just 37 yards in the first half; however he excelled in the second half by going 8 for 10 for 159 yards, and leading the Niners to three fourth-quarter touchdown drives.[35] Smith was named the Sports Illustrated NFL Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.
Smith was again given the start for the 49ers' next game against the Rams. He led the 49ers to an overtime victory by out-dueling Rams rookie Sam Bradford in a matchup of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks. He threw for 356 yards, one touchdown and ran for 12 yards without being intercepted.[36]
Smith's two straight wins as a starter earned him the starting job for the next three weeks, before he was replaced by the previous starting quarterback Alex Smith.[37] During that time span, (Troy) Smith went 3–2 for a San Francisco 49ers team that finished the season 6–10 overall.[38]
Despite Smith's success as their starting quarterback, San Francisco chose not to re-sign Smith after he became a free agent. This was mostly because new head coach Jim Harbaugh was expected to seek different options (though he eventually did choose to go with Alex Smith).[39]
Smith's first UFL start came in Omaha's final game of the season, a 25–19 loss to the Sacramento Mountain Lions in the consolation round of the postseason. In the game, Smith completed 17-of-33 passes for 191 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, including an 81-yard touchdown pass to Chad Lucas.[42]
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Smith on January 20, 2012.[43] He was released by the team on June 25, 2012.[44]
Montreal Alouettes
On August 14, 2013, Smith signed a two-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.[45] Smith recorded his first win with the Alouettes in his first start on October 20, 2013, against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats by a score of 36–5. Smith started the last three regular season games of the season, posting a 2–1 record, leading head coachJim Popp to name him the starter for the playoffs. Smith finished his first year in the CFL with a completion percentage of 52.6%, 884 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and five interceptions, in six games played. However, against the same Tiger-Cats in Guelph, Ontario, the Alouettes lost 19–16 in overtime. Following the 2013 CFL season, Smith was re-signed to a three-year contract, which keeps him with the Alouettes through the 2016 season.[46] Smith started the first six games of the 2014 season, winning only once. Due to his poor play and the team's underperformance, Smith was unconditionally released from his contract by the Alouettes on October 16, 2014[47]
Smith, a father of two children, has advocated for passage of the FIT Kids Act. The act would require school districts to report on students' physical activity and to give health and nutritional information to children.[48]
Smith was arrested on October 20, 2017, for driving while intoxicated in Ohio.[49]
James William Plunkett is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He achieved his greatest success during his final eight seasons with the Raiders franchise, whom he led to two Super Bowl wins.
Vincent Frank Testaverde Sr. is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 21 seasons. He played college football at the University of Miami, where he earned consensus All-American and won the Heisman Trophy in 1986.
Kyle Bryan Boller is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for the California Golden Bears, he was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft with the 19th overall pick. He played for the Ravens from 2003 to 2008, the St. Louis Rams in 2009, and the Oakland Raiders from 2010 to 2011.
Matthew Stephen Leinart is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football for the USC Trojans, where he won the Heisman Trophy and led his team to an undefeated season as a junior. Selected tenth overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2006 NFL Draft, Leinart primarily served as Kurt Warner's backup for four seasons. He spent his final three seasons in a backup role for the Houston Texans and the Oakland Raiders. Leinart was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
Brian David Griese is an American professional football coach and former player who is the quarterbacks coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). A former quarterback in the NFL, he played college football for the Michigan Wolverines and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft.
Trent Farris Dilfer is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the head football coach at the UAB Blazers football. Dilfer previously played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He achieved his greatest professional success as the starting quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens during their Super Bowl-winning season in 2000.
Alexander Douglas Smith is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. Smith played college football for the Utah Utes, earning first-team All-American honors and winning the 2005 Fiesta Bowl as a senior. He was selected first overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2005 NFL draft.
Kenneth Simon Dorsey is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he won the national championship and the Maxwell Award in 2001. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft, later playing for the Cleveland Browns and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL), before retiring in 2010.
Elvis M. Grbac is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, most notably with the Kansas City Chiefs. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, winning the Sammy Baugh Trophy. Grbac was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He spent his first four seasons as a backup with the 49ers before playing his next four seasons as the Chiefs' starter.
Christopher Patrick Leak is an American football coach and former gridiron football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Florida, and led the Florida Gators to victory in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game. Leak played professionally for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL), the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the Jacksonville Sharks and Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League (AFL).
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he won the Maxwell Award. Quinn was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. Following three seasons in Cleveland, he was traded to Denver, where he played for two seasons. Quinn spent his last three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, the New York Jets, and the St. Louis Rams for one year each.
Daniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns, winning several awards and honors as a senior in 2009 and ranking second all-time in games won by an FBS quarterback. McCoy was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft and has also been a member of the San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, New York Giants, and Arizona Cardinals, primarily being used as a backup.
The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium. The team finished the season with a win–loss record of 12–1, having been defeated by Florida in its final game, the BCS Championship game, and ended the year ranked second.
Dennis Lee Dixon Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks. Dixon was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft and played with the team through 2011. He was a member of the Baltimore Ravens practice squad during the 2012 season in which they won a Super Bowl.
Alex Brink is a former professional Canadian football quarterback. After playing college football at Washington State, Brink was selected by the Houston Texans in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
Todd Boeckman is a former American football quarterback. He was signed by the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent on June 17, 2009. He played college football at Ohio State University.
Tajh Khiry Boyd is an American football coach and former quarterback who currently is an offensive assistant for the Clemson Tigers. He played college football at Clemson, where he was the starting quarterback from 2011 to 2013. He earned first-team All-American honors in 2012. He was selected by the New York Jets in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
Justin Skyler Fields is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Following a stint with the Georgia Bulldogs, he played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he was twice named the Graham–George Offensive Player of the Year and appeared in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Dwayne Haskins Jr. was an American professional football player who was a quarterback for three seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, setting Big Ten Conference records for single-season passing yards and passing touchdowns as a sophomore. His success earned him the Sammy Baugh Trophy and Kellen Moore Award, along with several conference honors.
Coleridge Bernard "C. J." Stroud IV is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State, where he holds several school records, including most passing yards in a single game with 573, as well as being the first player to throw for six touchdowns three times. Stroud was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2021 and 2022 and was selected by the Texans second overall in the 2023 NFL draft. In his rookie season, he led the Texans to a division title and playoff victory en route to winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
