Tody Smith was a former NFL player who played for the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Oilers, and Buffalo Bills. He was also the younger brother of Bubba Smith, another NFL legend. He was born on December 24, 1948, in Frankfurt, Germany, where his father was stationed in the military. He grew up in Beaumont, Texas, where he played football for his father at Charlton-Pollard High School. He was a prep All-American and earned the nickname “El Toro” for his size and strength.
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A College Standout and a Super Bowl Champion
Tody Smith transferred from Michigan State University to the University of Southern California, where he became a star defensive end. He was part of the famous “Wild Bunch” defensive line, along with Al Cowlings, Jimmy Gunn, Willard “Bubba” Scott, and Charlie Weaver. They were named after a 1969 Western film and were known for their hard-hitting and aggressive style of play. They helped USC win the 1970 Rose Bowl and achieve a 10-0-1 record and a No. 3 ranking in 1969. Tody Smith was a second-team All-American in 1970, despite playing only four games due to an ankle injury.
Tody Smith was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft. He played for them in the 1972 Super Bowl, where they defeated the Miami Dolphins 24-3. He was traded to the Houston Oilers in 1973, where he played for four seasons. He also played briefly for the Buffalo Bills and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, before retiring in 1977. He played a total of 69 games in his NFL career, recording 11.5 sacks and three interceptions.
A Mysterious Death That Shocked His Family and Friends
Tody Smith died in his sleep on July 18, 1999, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 50 years old. The cause of his death was not immediately clear, but the Los Angeles County coroner’s office later revealed that he had a muscle relaxant and an anti-anxiety agent in his system at the time of his death. He also had a borderline enlarged heart and mild hardening of the arteries. It is not known if these factors contributed to his death or if he had any underlying health problems.
Tody Smith’s death was a devastating blow for his family and friends, who remembered him as a kind, generous, and cheerful person. He was survived by his wife, Chae, a daughter, Rheo, and a son, Dakota. He was buried at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York. His brother, Bubba Smith, who also died of heart failure in 2011, said that Tody was his best friend and that he missed him every day.
