Rod Smith is a College Football Hall of Famer, a three-time pro bowler and one of the top receivers in Denver Broncos history. He joined Chad and Travis on Rip City Drive Tuesday to discuss his fantastic career and the news that John Elway has been locked up for five more years.
Smith talked about why he was such a tireless worker when he played in the league.
“I just appreciated the game. Being able to get into the NFL and stay for as long as I did was a blessing in itself, so I cherished every moment and I wanted to be special. I treated my teammates the way I wanted to be treated, which was with respect.”
He also said that when you played with John Elway, you upped your game, or you didn’t play.
“The thing is, we were better because we played with John. We saw him work in the off season, we didn’t just see him on Sundays, we saw his attention to practice and in the film room and it made me become a better receiver. I said ‘I have to earn his respect,’ and the only way I could do it was create results. – Make plays, run the routes right, catch the ball and get upfield when I can and get that thing in the end zone.”
Smith also talked about his favorite moments in his NFL career.
“This is kind of a copout answer, but I’ve got to give the same answer: “ALL OF THEM”…Because even when I was getting beaten down, I was just so happy to be playing.”
Take a listen to the great interview and be sure to stay tuned to Rip City Radio 620 for all your NFL updates.