Bubba Smith's post-Colts career

[74_75_78_79_]

Learn something new every day! Just found out now that he actually played for the Raiders in '73 & '74. He started 25 games for them in those two seasons, one fumble recovery being the only statistic in that span however. Any others hidden notables from his time in Oaktown (especially considering that sacks weren't recorded yet)? Any big games he had or any significant plays he made? How did he fit in with the other players? Was he ever named team captain for a game(s)? Just curious. Thanks in-advance for any info!

I see he then went onto Houston under Bum Phillips in '75 and '76 before hanging it up due to injuries. I also see that he did start two games in '75, the good non-playoff 10-4 campaign (merely played/saw action in ten other games). Played in, but didn't start, in four games the following year then that's it.

[JohnTurney]

Learn something new every day! Just found out now that he actually played for the Raiders in '73 & '74. He started 25 games for them in those two seasons, one fumble recovery being the only statistic in that span however. Any others hidden notables from his time in Oaktown (especially considering that sacks weren't recorded yet)? Any big games he had or any significant plays he made? How did he fit in with the other players? Was he ever named team captain for a game(s)? Just curious. Thanks in-advance for any info!

I see he then went onto Houston under Bum Phillips in '75 and '76 before hanging it up due to injuries. I also see that he did start two games in '75, the good non-playoff 10-4 campaign (merely played/saw action in ten other games). Played in, but didn't start, in four games the following year then that's it.

he was a shell of himself.

73— 4½ sacks
74— 3 sacks
75 — 2 sacks
76— 0 sacks

[BD Sullivan]

Learn something new every day! Just found out now that he actually played for the Raiders in '73 & '74. He started 25 games for them in those two seasons, one fumble recovery being the only statistic in that span however. Any others hidden notables from his time in Oaktown (especially considering that sacks weren't recorded yet)? Any big games he had or any significant plays he made? How did he fit in with the other players? Was he ever named team captain for a game(s)? Just curious. Thanks in-advance for any info!

I see he then went onto Houston under Bum Phillips in '75 and '76 before hanging it up due to injuries. I also see that he did start two games in '75, the good non-playoff 10-4 campaign (merely played/saw action in ten other games). Played in, but didn't start, in four games the following year then that's it.

he was a shell of himself.

73— 4½ sacks
74— 3 sacks
75 — 2 sacks
76— 0 sacks

That decline coincides with him tearing up his knee in 1972 after he ran into a sideline marker during a preseason game in Tampa. He ended up suing the NFL by saying they were negligent in not removing the marker. The first trial ended with a hung jury in '78 and he then lost the re-trial the following year. His bitterness toward the NFL continued when his autobiography claimed that Super Bowl III was fixed.

His Houston connection coincided with the presence of his brother Tody, who was also a first round pick--25th overall in 1971. However, he was a flop for the Cowboys who sent him to the Oilers after two years.

[Bryan]

I've seen Bubba Smith noted as the 'weak link' in the 1974 Raiders postseason defense. They said he was immobile and unable to get out of his stance due to bad knees...the Dolphins ran for 213 yards and the Steelers ran for 224 yards against Oakland in their postseason games. He was shipped to Houston in the offseason.

[74_75_78_79_]

Thanks, guys! The other thing about Bubba Smith that I wasn't aware of was he only being named to two Pro Bowls - '70 & '71 - with the latter one being his only All-Pro vote (1st-team, that is; he was 2nd-team in '68 & '70). I assumed he already had multiple such honors by the end of the '60s.