Springfield, Mo. - Current Denver Bronco and Missouri Southern Hall of Famer Rod Smith will be one of 15 individuals inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame on February 10 in Springfield. The event will take place at the University Plaza Convention Center where the 2008 John Q. Hammons Founder’s Award recipient will also be recognized, as well as 12 Sports Achievement Award winners.

A 13 year NFL veteran and two-time Super Bowl Champion, Smith enjoyed a stellar career at Missouri Southern, finishing with Southern records in single-season receiving yardage, single-game receiving yardage, single-game pass receptions, career receiving yardage and then records in career and single-season receptions. Smith's career and single-season reception marks were recently broken by current Lion Colin Bado.

Smith helped the Lions to their last MIAA title and NCAA post season appearance when the team went 9-1-1 in 1993. That season, he was named first-team All-America by the Associate Press, Kodak, Football Gazette and NCAA Division II sports information directors. In 1993, Smith caught 63 passes for 986 yards and 13 touchdowns, and was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award, given annually to the top football player at the Division II level. He was named Missouri Southern’s Outstanding Graduate in 1994 after completing his collegiate studies with three degrees in economics and finance, general business, as well as marketing and management.

Smith entered the NFL with the Broncos as a college free agent on May 3, 1994. He holds Broncos' franchise records for career receptions (849), receiving yards (11,389), touchdown catches (68) and overall touchdowns (71). He also leads all undrafted players in NFL history in every major career-receiving category. Smith entered the 2007 season ranked 11th in overall league annals in career receptions, 17th in career receiving yards, and tied for 30th in career receiving touchdowns. In 2005, he became one of 25 players in NFL history to reach 10,000 career yards, a feat he accomplished on Monday Night Football vs. Kansas City (9/26/05). Smith is the first player from the MIAA to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl, and the first to play for two Super Bowl winning teams (Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII).

A three-time NFL Pro Bowler, Smith was inducted into the Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003 and is the only football player in Southern history to have his number (9) retired.

Smith joins other inductees including former St. Louis Cardinal Keith Hernandez, Kansas City Chief Neil Smith and Kansas City Royal John Wathan among the 2008 enshrinement class. The entire list of inductees, as well as ticket information can be obtained by visiting the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Web Site at www.MoSportsHallOfFame.com.