He played all 14 games during his rookie season, but his career ended after one year because of a severe neck injury.
[1] After his career was cut short, Smith sued the NFL and the Redskins in federal court on the grounds that the draft was a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
The Redskins paid him $50,000 for his first season, and an additional $19,800 for an option year on his rookie contract, for a total of $69,800.
However, the district court found that he should have gotten a 3-year contract worth $162,200, like his free-agent veteran teammate Pat Fischer, who was also a defensive back.
This biographical article relating to an American football defensive back born in the 1940s is a stub.