JSU Athletics
Blake Weir, Assistant Director for Sports Media
JACKSON – Former Jackson State football standout, Jimmy Smith, was nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Wednesday afternoon. Smith, who was drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft in 1992 by the Dallas Cowboys, joins a list of 130 finalists in this years Hall of Fame Ballot.
Smith spent 13 seasons in the NFL, collecting numerous franchise records for the Jacksonville Jaguars and holding, at one point, three NFL records. Upon retiring from the National Football League on May 11, 2006, Smith finished his career with 862 receptions, 12,287 receiving yards, 67 touchdowns, 599 first downs, while also averaging 14.3 yards per reception in 171 career games played.
He posted 1,000+ receiving yards in seven straight seasons (1996-2002) with the Jaguars for a total of 8,999 receiving yards in that stretch of time.
In 2000, his best career game came against arguably one of the best defenses in NFL history, when he posted 15 receptions, 291 receiving yards (fifth in NFL history) and three touchdowns, against the eventual Super Bowl champion the Baltimore Ravens.
In his final NFL season, the former Tiger tallied 70 receptions for 1,023 yards and six touchdowns to cap off a stellar career.
In his time at Jackson State, Smith shined for his hometown Tigers, finishing his college career with 110 receptions, 2,073 yards and 16 touchdowns. He became a starter his junior season in which he collected 40 receptions (led the team) for 877 yards, and 9 touchdowns.
Against Southern, he hauled in four receptions for 184 yards, while tying the school record for touchdowns in a game with three receiving touchdowns (70, 64 and 37 yards).
His final season with the Tigers he led the team with 43 catches for 801 yards and three touchdowns. Against Delaware State, he set the school record with 10 receptions for 239 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown.
In 2011, he was named to the Jackson State All-Century team. He would mark the fifth Pro Football Hall of Famer from Jackson State, if inducted, joining the likes of Jackie Slater, Robert Brazile, Walter Payton, and Lem Barney.
List of Records held by Jimmy Smith.
NFL records
- Most games with at least 5 receptions in a season – 16 (every game in 2001) Since tied by Antonio Brown and Pierre Garçon.
- Most consecutive games with at least 5 receptions – 21. Since broken by Antonio Brown.
- Most games with at least 49 receiving yards in a season – 16 (every game in 2001)
Jaguars franchise records
As of 2017’s NFL off-season, Jimmy Smith held at least 31 Jaguars franchise records, including:
- Receptions: career (862), season (116 in 1999)
- Receiving Yds: career (12,287), season (1,636 in 1999), game (291 on 2000-09-10 @BAL), playoffs (647), playoff season (228 in 1999), playoff game (136 on 2000-01-15 MIA)
- Yds/Rec: career (14.25), playoffs (16.18), playoff season (22.8 in 1999), playoff game (27.2 on 2000-01-15 MIA)
- Receiving TDs: career (67), game (3 on 2000-09-10 @BAL), playoffs (7), playoff season (3 in 1998), playoff game (2 on 2000-01-15 MIA)
- Rec Yds/Game: career (71.9), playoffs (71.9), playoff season (114 in 1999)
- Total TDs: playoffs (7), playoff season (3 in 1998), playoff game (2 on 2000-01-15 MIA)
- Yds from Scrimmage: game (291 on 2000-09-10 @BAL)
- 100+ yard receiving games: career (48), season (10 in 1999), playoffs (2)
- Games with 1+ TD scored: career (64), playoffs (5)
- Games with 2+ TD scored: playoffs (2)
- 1000+ receiving yard seasons: career (9)