Florence Henderson
American actress and singer (1934-2016)
Bubba Smith was a legendary American football player who had a successful career in the NFL, as well as a notable acting career. He was known for his incredible size and strength, which made him a dominant defensive player on the field.
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About the Bubba Smith
Charles Aaron “Bubba” Smithwas an American professional football defensive end and actor. Smith played in the National Football Leaguefor the Baltimore Colts, Oakland Raiders, and Houston Oilers.
Smith played college football for Michigan State University, where he twice earned All-American honors on the Spartans football team. Smith had a major role in a 10-10 tie against Notre Dame in 1966 that was billed as “The Game of the Century”. He is one of only six players to have his jersey number retired by the program. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988.
The first overall pick of the 1967 NFL/AFL draft, Smith played nine years in the NFL for the Colts, Raiders, and Oilers from 1967 to 1976. He was the Colts’ starting left defensive end for five seasons, playing in Super Bowls III and V. He was named to two Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro in 1971. He had tremendous quickness despite being 6 ft 7 inand 265 pounds (120 kg), a combination which usually earned him a double-team.
During his acting career, Smith specialized in comedic roles in film, television, and television advertising. For about a decade following his retirement from football, he appeared in various commercials for Miller Lite, alongside Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus. His best-known role was as Moses Hightower in the first six Police Academy movies.
Smith was posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurological condition generally related to head trauma. He is one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed after death with this disease.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bubba Smith was an American professional football player and actor. He played as a defensive end in the NFL for the Baltimore Colts, Oakland Raiders, and Houston Oilers from 1967 to 1976.
Bubba Smith played college football for Michigan State University, where he earned All-American honors twice on the Spartans football team. He was also involved in a famous 10-10 tie against Notre Dame in 1966 that was known as ,The Game of the Century,.
Bubba Smith was the first overall pick in the 1967 NFL/AFL draft. He played for the Colts, Raiders, and Oilers, and was a two-time Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro in 1971. He was a starting defensive end for the Colts and played in Super Bowls III and V.
After retiring from football, Bubba Smith transitioned into acting, specializing in comedic roles in film, television, and television advertising. His most well-known role was as Moses Hightower in the first six Police Academy movies.
Bubba Smith was posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurological condition generally related to head trauma. He is one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed with this disease after their death.
9 Quotes by Bubba Smith
- 1.
Everything has gotten vulgar and out of line for children to watch. It’s more of a swearing match.
Bubba SmithAmerican actor and athlete (1945-2011)
- 2.
We all laughed. It was more like that whole thing that I was talking about earlier. You go to training camp and after the season is over, you might not see the guys for six months until you go back to training camp.
Bubba SmithAmerican actor and athlete (1945-2011)
- 3.
We were younger. And it’s basically like looking at football classics. You see things that you did, you see things that you could’ve done better and you think about all the good relationships that you had with the cast.
Bubba SmithAmerican actor and athlete (1945-2011)
- 4.
Hugh Wilson made it so real and he took us and it was almost when he was directing it, the way he would do it was funnier than the way we did it. And I just developed a regard for him that was unbelievable.
Bubba SmithAmerican actor and athlete (1945-2011)
- 5.
Well, everybody knew their character. I was the only one who didn’t have a partner. I basically showed up when people got in trouble. Where I came from, I don’t know. Nobody knows. But I would show up to help.
Bubba SmithAmerican actor and athlete (1945-2011)
- 6.
Well, I’m not a violent person. You have to back off. People sometimes will try you and try you until you try not to, but you have to react. Normally, I just walk away.
Bubba SmithAmerican actor and athlete (1945-2011)
- 7.
I don’t go to clubs and stuff like that, so I don’t have to put up with it in there. And normally, because obviously I could hurt somebody, and if I look at it that way, I have to back off.
Bubba SmithAmerican actor and athlete (1945-2011)
- 8.
The ninth grade. I went from 5’9″ to 6’8″.
Bubba SmithAmerican actor and athlete (1945-2011)
- 9.
You know, he would go and look at different funny books because he wanted his character to be different and make different faces. I saw a funny book in his room and it looked like the same character he was playing. It was about a duck.
Bubba SmithAmerican actor and athlete (1945-2011)