Bruce Smith (defensive End) - Honors

Honors

In his 19 NFL seasons, Smith played in 279 games, amassing 200 sacks, two interceptions, 46 forced fumbles, and 15 fumble recoveries, which he returned for 33 yards and a touchdown. Of his 19 seasons in the NFL, 13 of them were seasons where he had at least ten sacks, a testament to his consistency year in and year out. He was also named All-Pro nine times. His 200 sacks give him the record for most career quarterback take-downs. As Smith spent most of his career in a 3–4 defensive scheme, a defensive scheme not geared toward creating sack opportunities for defensive ends, many consider the record particularly impressive. Indeed, Smith's peers elected him to the Pro Bowl every season from 1987 to 1998 (with the exception of his injury-laden 1991 season). In 1987, he was named the Pro Bowl MVP. Smith was twice named the AP's NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1990, 1996), twice named the NEA Defensive Player of the Year (1990, 1993) and four times named UPI's AFC Defensive Player of the Year (1987, 1988, 1990, 1996).

In 1999, while still an active player, Smith was ranked number 58 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. In 2005, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. In 2006, Smith was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

On August 13, 2008, he was part of the inaugural class to be inducted into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, an institution honoring athletes, coaches and administrators who made contributions to sports in Southeastern Virginia. Smith was inducted onto the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame during halftime of the Bills' September 21, 2008 game against the Oakland Raiders.

In a particularly rich weekend for the Bills organization, Smith was joined in 2009 induction to the Hall of Fame by Buffalo Bills owner and founder, Ralph Wilson, Jr.. Smith's former defensive coordinator, Ted Cottrell, the architect of the sack-rich Buffalo years, served as his presenter during induction.