Hall of Fame: Neil Smith - 2006

Neil Smith - 2006 Was one of the bedrocks upon which the Chiefs defensive dominance of the ‘90s was built … Paired with LB Derrick Thomas to forge one of the most feared pass rushing duos in NFL history … Served as a foundation for a franchise-record string of six straight postseason appearances from ‘90-96, making nine playoff starts over that span … Possessed an imposing seven-foot wingspan that helped wreck havoc on opponents and allowed him to make a myriad of momentum-changing plays … Accumulated 86.5 sacks and 29 forced fumbles in Kansas City - totals that both rank second in Chiefs history behind only Thomas - in addition to blocking five FGs … Will forever be intrinsically linked with his “little buddy” Thomas, but his individual accomplishments clearly stand on their own merit … Registered double-digit sacks for four straight seasons from ‘92-95, leading the team or tying for the team lead with Thomas each of those years … Voted team MVP following the ‘92 campaign when he had 14.5 sacks and followed up that performance with a career-high 15.0 sacks in ‘93 … Played in 138 regular season games for Kansas City, accumulating 546 tackles (403 solo), three INTs with one TD, 13 fumble recoveries with one TD and 22 passes defensed … Departed Kansas City following the ‘96 campaign and won a pair of Super Bowl rings with Denver, but it was in Kansas City where his legacy as one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive performers of the ‘90s was clearly solidified ... The Chiefs traded up with Detroit to select Smith with the second overall pick in the ‘88 NFL Draft … Was an All-America performer at the University of Nebraska … Born April 10, 1966 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame