Darrin Smith

Darrin Andrew Smith (born April 15, 1970 in Miami, Florida) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) who played for the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and the New Orleans Saints. While with Dallas he won two Super Bowl rings. At different times in his pro career he has played all three linebacker positions. Smith played college football at the University of Miami where he was also won two national championship.

Early years
At Miami Norland High School, he played linebacker and was also a 185-pound pulling guard during his junior year. He was also a member of his high school track team were he competed in the 100 meters with a personal best time of 10.7 seconds.

Smith was a member of the Dennis Erickson's 1989 and 1991 national-championship teams for the University of Miami. He played strongside linebacker, where along with teammates Jessie Armstead and Michael Barrow, formed one of the greatest linebacking corps in college football history known as "The Bermuda Triangle".

He was a two-time All-American, the Big East Conference co-defensive player of the year as a senior and a two-time Butkus Award semi-finalist.

Smith stayed five years at the University of Miami, the first as a red-shirted freshman under Jimmy Johnson, so he could get a complete education. He earned his master's degree in marketing after getting his undergraduate degree in business management.

In 2006, he was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.

Dallas Cowboys
Smith was drafted in the second round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, becoming from the start a four-year starter at weakside linebacker for the team. He was one of the fastest linebackers in the league, extremely quick and versatile. He started all four of his seasons with the Cowboys, and had two 100-tackle years, including 117 tackles in 1996. He helped the Cowboys win Super Bowl XXVIII and Super Bowl XXX.

In 1995 Smith was a restricted free agent and the team gave him the one year qualifying offer instead of a long term deal, so he sat out the first 7 games on a contract dispute, in order to avoid injury and be more marketable in free agency. He signed and played in the nine games that were needed for his contract to not be voided for that season. In 1996 he signed a one-year contract with the Cowboys.

In the 1990s, the Cowboys organization felt they could find linebackers through the draft, without the need of paying a premium and adversely impacting the salary cap, so they allowed talented and productive players like Ken Norton Jr., Dixon Edwards, Robert Jones and Randall Godfrey, to leave via free agency, instead of signing them in to long-term contracts. In 1997, after he became a free agent, the Cowboys replaced him by drafting Dexter Coakley.

Philadelphia Eagles
Although he was looking for a multiyear deal, he signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, because that year many teams had salary cap problems. His time with the eagles was disappointing; torn ligaments in his right ankle and a sprained left ankle limited him to only seven games that year.

Seattle Seahawks
In 1998, he reunited with Dennis Erickson, signing a contract with the Seattle Seahawks where he played for two seasons. He was third on the team with 90 tackles in 1999, but was released after the season because of salary cap reasons.

New Orleans Saints
In 2000, he signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints and although he lacked the size, he became the starting middle linebacker at 235 pounds, using his quickness to rank second on the team with 113 tackles, he also added two interceptions (on returned for a touchdown), 21 passes defended and two sacks. He became a key component of the Saints' stout defense and their run to the NFC Western Division title, so the Saints re-signed him for four more years in 2001. Injuries limited him to only three games in 2004.

Smith retired in 2004 after playing in the NFL for 12 seasons, recording 24 QB sacks and 11 interceptions and 4 touchdowns. He never appeared in a Pro Bowl, but is the only professional football player to earn two College Football National Championship rings (1989 and 1991) and two Super Bowl rings (1993 and 1995).

Personal life
Smith now owns and operates a real estate investment/development company. Darrin is a member of The Fountain of Pembroke Pines (Pastor Wayne Lomax) where he heads the Athletes for Christ Bible Study Ministry. He is married and the father of twins, a boy and a girl.