Smith was born in Ada, Oklahoma but raised in Roswell, New Mexico.
In 1970, Smith became a full-time starter for every game, which he would do for four straight seasons.
[2] Smith was an integral part of the defense that brought Denver its first playoff appearance in 1977.
He played in 31 total games with nine starts in two seasons before retiring at the age of 35.
[4] Smith lived in Aurora, Colorado until March 14, 2000, when he died of Pancreatic cancer.