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Broncos receiving great to retire

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Rod Smith, the Broncos' all-time leading receiver in nearly every category, has decided to retire. The Broncos and Smith will hold a 2 p.m. news conference Thursday. Smith, 38, missed all of last season with a serious hip injury so his retirement has been expected for nearly a year. An undrafted free agent who signed with the Broncos in 1994, when Wade Phillips was the coach, Smith finishes with 849 receptions, 11,389 receiving yards and 68 touchdown receptions.

Denver Post

Rod Smith, Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Rod Smith, Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
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July 24, 2008  07:38 AM ET

so long Rod it has been an interesting ride that's for sure.

July 24, 2008  08:02 AM ET

Man, I already drafted him in my fantasy league! I should have gone for Cedric....

July 24, 2008  08:50 AM ET

should have held out for an even 850 receptions

July 24, 2008  09:54 AM ET

A stand-up guy who will be missed

July 24, 2008  10:30 AM ET

We're gonna miss him. A terrific player and a hard worker. I just wish his statistics were good enough for the Hall...but Sadly, I think he'll fall short. The fact he was an undrafted free agent might help.

July 24, 2008  10:30 AM ET

Applause....Hats off to you bro!

July 24, 2008  10:31 AM ET

Love you man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

July 24, 2008  11:24 AM ET

Good luck, Rod. Have a great life.

July 24, 2008  11:44 AM ET

Hey at least we will have you on Madden another year!

July 24, 2008  11:55 AM ET

Loveland310,
It's not that Rod doesn't have the numbers for the Hall, he just played in Denver, and we know that the Hall hates Denver for some reason. Smith is 12th all-time in receptions. If you look at his numbers, Michael Irvin had around 10 more receptions and 1 more yard per catch, but Rod scored 2 more touchdowns than Irvin did. I also can't remember Rod Smith ever getting arrested for carrying around his "friends" drugs. By those numbers, he should get in on the 1st ballot. Then again, Randy Gradishar, Floyd Little, and Karl Mecklenburg should all be in the Hall of Fame, but they played in Denver, so they're not.

Thanks for the memories, Rod! It's been a lot of fun!

July 24, 2008  01:31 PM ET

I doubt that his 68 touchdowns and 11,000 yards will be enough to get him to the Hall of Fame. Great team player and it is sad to see him go.

July 24, 2008  01:40 PM ET

I doubt that his 68 touchdowns and 11,000 yards will be enough to get him to the Hall of Fame. Great team player and it is sad to see him go.
c note

Right, but not because they aren't worthy numbers. The only reason that they won't get him in is because the voters hate Denver. Gary Zimmerman is going in as a Bronco, but he got voted in because of his years in Minnesota. John Elway is the only guy in the HOF to play the bulk of his career in Denver. It's not right. Most of the voters are on the east coast, and they won't vote for Denver. I don't buy the argument that it is too small a media market because Green Bay has plenty of Hall of Famers. They just simply don't vote for Denver Broncos. It's pathetic. If they're gonna vote for the Hall of Fame, then they should vote for players that are worthy, regardless of where they played.

July 24, 2008  01:49 PM ET

wtnelson - It isn't a Denver bias. Smith was good but his numbers fail in comparison to other WRs who have played in this more modern era. That is what will hurt him the most. As for Zimmerman, he belongs and every time I think he will finally get in and then he doesn't. The veteran committee will eventually have to recognize him though if it gets to that.

July 24, 2008  03:04 PM ET

Good for him, he was a great WR for years in Denver

Comment has been removed
July 24, 2008  04:25 PM ET

c note,
Look at Rod Smith's numbers compared to those of Michael Irvin's. They are almost identical, and there is no doubt that Rod Smith as an individual is far more deserving of the HOF than Irvin. Irvin played in Dallas, though, so he has an edge. There is definitely a Denver bias. It's not just me being a fan, players, coaches, Pat Bowlen, and the Denver media all say that. Check out this story.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2666957

By the way, Zimmerman will be enshrined in Canton in a couple of weeks. He was elected back in January. He is going in as a Bronco.

July 24, 2008  04:51 PM ET

And Smith even said in his press conference that Denver is overlooked when it comes to the Hall. He deserves to be in.

July 24, 2008  04:57 PM ET

Here it is, taken from nfl.com:

Michael Irvin: 750 Receptions, 11,904 yds., 65 TD, 15.9 YPC, 3 Super Bowl titles, 12 years

Rod Smith: 849 Receptions, 11,389 yds., 68 TD, 13.4 YPC, 2 Super Bowl titles, 12 years (not counting 2007, which he missed all of due to hip surgery)

Care to say that his numbers fail in comparison again? I don't think so. If character counts, which it should, and Irvin got in in his 3rd year of eligibility, then to me, Rod Smith is a 1st Ballot guy. Pure and simple.

 
July 24, 2008  05:04 PM ET

I agree wtnelson. Always liked Rod Smith & his career stats seem worthy of consideration. Problem is, he wasn't a self promoter like so many others. Hope he doesn't have to wait forever for HOF induction, like Art Monk. It gets harder & harder to respect the HOF selection process.

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