Lightning Rod

News came down the wire yesterday that surefire Bronco Ring-of-Famer and legendary Blackjack Pizza pitchman Rod Smith was officially retiring from the NFL. Smith came into the league in 1994 as an undrafted free agent. He spent 1994 on Denver's practice squad before earning a roster spot in 1995. Rod Smith's first great Bronco moment came on September 17th against the Washington Redskins. Smith found a seam and Elway hit him with a 43-yard bomb as time expired. Smith hit NFL-lifer and perpetual Pro Bowler Darrell Green with the brutal teabag to announce himself to Bronco faithful as the next big thing.

Over the years, Rod cemented himself as a perennial All-Pro and one of the most solid receivers in the NFL. Rod never had the flashy persona (evidenced by his robotic Blackjack commercials) but he always let his play do the talking. Because of this, he was often overshadowed by other pass catchers but Broncos fans loved his blue collar approach to the game. Replacing Ed McCaffrey was an impossible task (second only to replacing John Elway) but Smith proved to etch out his own spot in Bronco lore. Here's to you Rod, you will be missed.

Why Rod Smith should be in the Hall of Fame:

1. Broncos franchise record holder for career receptions (849), receiving yards (11,389), touchdown catches (68) and overalltouchdowns (71).
2. Posted 70 or more receptions for nine consecutive seasons (1997-2005), a streak that tied for the second longest in NFL history.
3. One of seven players in NFL history to record back-to-back 100-catch seasons (2000-01).
4. 3-time Pro Bowler, 2-time First Team All-Pro, 2 Super Bowl titles
5. In the Broncos' 34-19 win in Super Bowl XXXIII, Smith had 5 receptions for 152 yards (the fourth highest total in Super Bowl history), including an 80-yard touchdown reception.