Bruce Smith

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In 1984, the Buffalo Bills had the dubious distinction of finishing with the worst record in the NFL. Their reward for doing so was the first pick, overall, in the draft. Speculation was that the Bills would draft a quarterback. Long time Bills quarterback, Joe Ferguson was benched for the first time in his career in favor of Joe Dufek and his days as a Bill looked over. Bills owner Ralph Wilson was high on drafting Heisman Trophy winner, Doug Flutie, out of Boston College and some Bills fans wanted the Bills to draft Bernie Kosar out of Miami U. The Bills brass felt defense was a bigger problem for the Bills than quarterback, the Bills had drafted Jim Kelly in 1983 and even though Kelly was playing in the rival USFL, it looked like that league was soon to fold and Bruce Smith, the pass rushing phenom out of Virginia Tech, was a can't miss choice. Nobody ever second guessed the Bills decision on selecting Bruce overall, once the 1985 season began.

In his first training camp with the Bills, Bruce began to impress everyone with his speed and agility, even though his physique resembled Baby Huey more than the chiseled specimen that Bruce was known for throughout his career. Coach Kay Stephenson named Bruce the starter at right end in the season opener in his rookie season against Dan Fouts and the San Diego Chargers. Bruce held his own, pressuring Fouts several times and getting in on six tackles. In his next game, against the Jets, Bruce and the Bills defense had a terrible game losing 42-3. Bruce was trampled by Jets' running back Freeman McNeil as McNeil ran for a Jets record 192 yards. Two days later, Bruce was benched for the first time in his career. He recorded his first two sacks against the Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Tommy Kramer. Kramer was just the first of many. Even though he looked impressive, he sat out two games, watching the Bills lose as well as watching Stephenson lose his job in favor of defensive coordinator Hank Bullough. Bullough sat Bruce out one more game before Bullough returned him to the starting line up, where he would stay. Bruce recorded a sack in his first game back as a starter, sacking Patriots quarterback Tony Eason and putting him out of the game. Eason would be just the first of many. Bruce's rookie season started slow but picked up at the end as he registered six and a half sacks that year, leading the team. He recorded 53 tackles and even ran the ball once. 1985 was the year of the Chicago Bears and William, The Refrigerator, Perry. Bullough had said that Bruce resembled Perry and intended to use him in the same manner. What a genius, this Hank Bullough. Where is he now?

In his second season, the Bills signed and secured quarterback Jim Kelly, sending signals that the Buffalo Bills were turning the corner and were getting serious about finally winning. Hank Bullough was canned and replaced with Marv Levy. The Bills doubled their victory total in 1986, winning four games and Bruce Smith more than doubled his sack total from the season before, recording 15. Better things were sure to lie ahead for Bruce and the Bills.

Bruce Smith got serious in 1987 about playing football, dropping his weight and reducing his fat percentage to 7.5 before the season. He reported to training camp in the best shape of his life. Soon after reporting to camp, he was arrested and charged with punching a bouncer at Mickey Rats Bar. It was just the first of many scrapes with the law, further enhancing his reputation as a hard player, on and off the field.

The Bills season was abbreviated by a players strike but Bruce Smith still had a great season totaling 12 sacks, 17 quarterback pressures and 78 tackles, monster numbers considering he only played in twelve games because of the player's strike. The Bills finished just out of the playoffs, contending for the AFC Eastern title until the second last game. Bruce was named the AFC defensive player of the year, Bruce finished second to Eagles' defensive end, Reggie White, for NFL defensive player of the year. Smith was selected to his first Pro Bowl that year, his first of a Bills team record eleven selections. Bruce Smith had five tackles and two sacks to win the MVP award as the AFC won the Pro Bowl, 15-6. It was the start of the great debate, "Who's better, Bruce or Reggie?"

Before the start of the 1988 season, Bruce Smith was suspended for thirty days for drug abuse by the NFL, meaning he would miss the first four games of the season. The Bills won all four without him and won eight out of their next nine with him to win the AFC East for the first time since 1980. More and more the chants of Bruuuce were to be heard throughout the stadiums of the National Football League as Smith tallied eleven sacks. Bruce was selected to the Pro Bowl and named to the AP All Pro team once again. It was a bitter-sweet season for Smith.

During the off season, Bruce Smith was a restricted free agent, as his contract ran out after the '88 season. The Denver Broncos made Smith and offer of $7.5 million over five years, which Bruce signed immediately. The Bills had one week to match the offer or lose Bruce to the Broncos for a pair of first round draft picks. Bruce had turned down a contract offer from the Bills for $1 million a year. Bruce was still angry over the prior season and said it would be wise for the Bills not to match Denver's offer and let him go. The Bills matched the offer and Bruce Smith was staying.

"I'm happy and exited to be staying in Buffalo.

Bruce was full of bravado and swagger in his early days, he had his own "sack dance" and would hold his heart, ala Fred Sanford style after downing a quarterback, people inside and outside of football either loved him or hated him. Green Bay rookie offensive tackle Tony Mandarich said how he wasn't intimidated about playing against Bruce, saying that Reggie White was 10 times better than Bruce Smith. Former 49ers coach Bill Walsh said on NBC that Bruce didn't know or didn't want to play the run. No matter how great he played in those days, Smith had his detractors. Even though he had 13 sacks and made it to another Pro Bowl.

In 1990 it seemed Bruce Smith had decided to forget about everything that had happened in the past and would concentrate on winning football games. In game two of that season the Bills were getting killed by the Dolphins in Miami and coach Marv Levy had pulled several starters midway through the forth quarter. Bruce blasted Marv for giving up. Bruce became obsessed with winning. Bruce was fined $500 for his comments and apologized.

After that game, Bruce Smith and the Buffalo Bills went on an incredible tear, winning their next 12 out of 14 games, with Bruce getting 19 sacks, 101 tackles and won the Associated Press' NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the UPI AFC defensive player of the year and The National sports daily named him their NFL MVP. Bruce declared himself, "pro football's most dominating defensive force, better than Lawrence Taylor." Surprisingly, just before the Bills met the Giants in Super Bowl XXV that season (the first of four Super Bowls in a row for Bruce and the Bills), Taylor agreed that Bruce was the best defensive player in the NFL.

Bruce Smith shocked everyone in 1991 by traveling to Alabama to see Dr. James Andrews about his surgically repaired knee. Smith had arthoscopic knee surgery and missed the first twelve games of the season. He registered only 1.5 sacks that season and was clearly, not the player he was the season before. It was by far his most painful season of football.

Bruce would miss the 1992 training camp because of his still injured knee. He traveled to Vail, Colorado to see Dr. Richard Steadman and was ready in time for the Bills home opener against the Rams, registering seven tackles, two sacks and two batted down passes. He recorded 14 sacks in 14 games in '92, missing the last two with a cracked rib, he made it back to the Pro Bowl as well. Bruce also became the NFL's all time post season sack leader, with 12. The critics were silenced, once and for all.

From 1992 to 1998, Bruce Smith would go to seven consecutive Pro Bowls. He would suffer numerous injuries to his knees, shoulder, ribs and play through it, giving his all. The "sack dance" would become a thing of the past and Bruce let his play do the dancing instead. Nobody accused him of being a quitter again. In 1995 the Bills signed linebacker Bryce Paup to a free agent contract. Paup would go on to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. Paup and the rest of the NFL world credited Bruce Smith in allowing to win the award, citing the fact that if were not for the double teaming that Bruce got from opposing teams offensive lines, Paup never would have had the year he had. In 1996 Bruce had 13.5 sacks and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, his second such award of his career. In 1997 he led the AFC with 14 sacks. In 1998 he recorded 10 sacks tying Reggie White for most consecutive seasons with ten or more sacks. Bruce Smith seemed to come alive the most when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter. His motor kept on going, even when he looked like he couldn't give any more. Many times throughout his career as a Bill, a Bruce Smith sack or a Bruce Smith fumble would change the course or outcome of a game. No player dominated an offense like Bruce Smith.

In 1999, Bruce Smith went to training camp, his first since 1987, and proclaimed that he was in the best shape of his life. Big things were expected. The '99 season was a bit of a disappointment as Bruce's sack total was down and it seemed as though he had lost a step or two. He was being spelled more and more by Bills defensive coordinator, Ted Cottrell. This was done to keep Smith's 37 year old legs fresh. It payed off, as Bruce finished strong at the end of the season and  finished with 7 sacks giving him a career total of 171, second only to Reggie White. Bruce Smith was released by the Bills on a wintery Thursday, February 10, 2000, along with Andre Reed and Thurman Thomas as the Bills were millions of dollars over the NFL salary cap and needed to cut their aging heroes to get under the cap. It will forever be known as "Black Thursday" by Bills folowers. A very sad day indeed.

Bruce Smith was quickly signed by the Washington Redskins, days after his 15 year Buffalo Bills career ended so abruptly and without fanfare. He will no doubt continue his assult on Reggie White's sack record. Whether he breaks it or not, Bruce Smith will be in the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, someday. That's a guarantee. Undoubtably he will go in as a Buffalo Bill, joining O.J. Simpson and Billy Shaw. Until then, Bills fans will have to settle for his enshrinement here.