Aaron Smith
Aaron Smith – Pittsburgh Steelers, Defensive End
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 298 lbs.
College: Northern Colorado
Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO
- Sports Illustrated 2000s All Decade Team
- Pro Bowl in 2004
- AFC Defensive Player of the Week in 2008 (Week 15)
- Super Bowl XL and XLIII Champion
The Beginning
Aaron Smith was born in Colorado Springs, CO to Ruth Smith. He attended Sierra High School where he lettered in football and basketball and was a consensus All State selection in football and an All-Conference selection in both football and basketball.
His college career at Northern Colorado was very successful. He was a consensus Division II first-team All-America selection and was also an All-North Conference first-team pick and voted conference’s Most Valuable Defensive Lineman. In 1997, he was a Dak-tronics and Burger King/American Football Coaches Association first-team All-America choice. He majored in political science at Northern Colorado. In 1998, Smith was voted team captain for the second straight year.
The NFL
Smith was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 4th round, 109th pick overall, of the 1999 NFL draft. He played in every Steelers’ game from 2000 through 2006. Smith has been the ideal defensive end in Pittsburgh’s defense and helped lead the Steelers to a win in Super Bowl XL. His excellent regular season earned him a 2005 pro bowl nomination, where he went on to record four tackles in the game. After the 2008 season, Smith helped the Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII.
On February 27, 2007, the Steelers resigned Smith to a 5 year, $25 million contract. Through the 2007 season, Smith ranks ninth all time on the Steelers sacks list. After missing parts of three games with a knee injury early in the 2007 season, Smith missed the last four games due to a torn biceps muscle while playing against the New England Patriots in early December. Smith made a full recovery from the injury and returned to his starting position in 2008; he was named to the 2008 USA Today All-Joe Team.
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