After a prolific career at Tennessee, Trey Smith entered the NFL Draft. However, he fell all the way to the sixth round following concerns of blood clots in his lungs during his time with the Vols.
Eventually, the Chiefs took a chance on the Jackson, Tennessee native with the No. 226 pick of the 2021 draft. Since then, Smith has started all 33 games that he's appeared in. During his rookie year, he was even named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
In his second year, he continued to improve as he played in all but one game. His phenomenal play even landed him a ranking as the fourth-best right guard in the NFL, according to voters in the NFL Players' Association.
He also went viral on multiple occasions for pancake blocks and other dominating plays. The 6-foot-6, over 300-pound lineman consistently used his frame to run over opponents and create gaps for runners.
Heading into the Super Bowl matchup with the Eagles, Smith would have his hands full. Philadelphia boasted one of the best defenses in the league — including a stout pass rush. It averaged an NFL-high 3.9 sacks per game — 0.7 more than the next-best team.
However, Smith — along with the remainder of the offensive line — refused to give up a sack throughout the entirety of the game. The Eagles had only been held sackless in one other game during the 2022-23 season.
This effort was instrumental in the Chiefs' 38-35 win to claim the championship.
The win marks the second-year guard's first Super Bowl in his career. Smith also becomes the 40th former Vol to win the big game. The group of players have combined for 49 rings. Additionally, he is the first former Vol to earn a ring since Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt in 2020.
Smith is under contract with Kansas City for another two seasons. He will make over $1,000,000 a year by the end of his deal before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
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