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LARSMITH—

Wayne Smith

Retired

Minnesota Vikings · DB

Wayne Smith recorded 108 indexed regular-season NFL appearances across 8 rostered seasons with Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions.

▶Best highlights

0.0

tackles/gm

0

playoff games

8

indexed seasons

108

career games

Five defining games

Start here

A provisional five-game introduction to Wayne Smith's most significant indexed performances.

Regular Season
1982
NEW YORKJETS
DETROITLIONS
DEC 6, 1982

New York Jets vs Detroit Lions

Regular Season · Dec 6, 1982

0 tackles · 1 sacks · 0 INT

Regular Season
1987
MINNESOTAVIKINGS
GREEN BAYPACKERS
DEC 13, 1987

Minnesota Vikings vs Green Bay Packers

Regular Season · Dec 13, 1987

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Regular Season
1987
CHICAGOBEARS
MINNESOTAVIKINGS
DEC 6, 1987

Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings

Regular Season · Dec 6, 1987

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Regular Season
1987
MINNESOTAVIKINGS
DALLASCOWBOYS
NOV 26, 1987

Minnesota Vikings vs Dallas Cowboys

Regular Season · Nov 26, 1987

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Regular Season
1987
ATLANTAFALCONS
MINNESOTAVIKINGS
NOV 22, 1987

Atlanta Falcons vs Minnesota Vikings

Regular Season · Nov 22, 1987

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Single-game peaks

Career highs

Position-relevant single-game records from Wayne Smith's indexed NFL box scores.

Career high: 1 interception

Regular Season
1987
MINNESOTAVIKINGS
TAMPA BAYBUCCANEERS
OCT 18, 1987

Minnesota Vikings vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Regular Season · Oct 18, 1987

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 1 INT

Career high: 35 interception return yards

Regular Season
1986
W
ARIZONACARDINALS
WSH
OCT 19, 1986

Arizona Cardinals vs WSH

Regular Season · Oct 19, 1986

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 1 INT

Career chapters

Franchise eras

Follow the team eras that shaped Wayne Smith's career, in chronological order.

Earliest → latest

Franchise era

1959–1988

01
DETSMITH—Wayne Smith
DETLEBEAU—Dick LeBeau
DETBARNEY—Lem Barney

Great defenders and Billy Sims cannot sustain a winner

Detroit Lions · The long wait

Detroit produced elite players but only intermittent contention, and Sims's career-altering injury removed the brightest offensive hope.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1960–1987

02
ARISMITH—Wayne Smith
ARIHART—Jim Hart
ARIDIERDORF—Dan Dierdorf

The Cardiac Cardinals make drama a habit

Arizona Cardinals · The St. Louis Football Cardinals

St. Louis produced explosive, entertaining contenders in the 1970s but never found the postseason breakthrough needed to secure the franchise's future there.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1973–1989

03
LARSMITH—Wayne Smith
LARYOUNGBLOOD—Jack Youngblood
LARDICKERSON29Eric Dickerson

Division dominance keeps colliding with a dynasty

Los Angeles Rams · A perennial NFC power

The Rams won seven straight division titles and reached the 1979 Super Bowl, but Dallas, Minnesota and San Francisco repeatedly blocked the path.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1980–1991

04
MINSMITH—Wayne Smith
MINCARTER—Anthony Carter
MINDOLEMAN56Chris Doleman

Carter arrives as an unlikely new cornerstone

Minnesota Vikings · Between Tarkenton and the Dome

Minnesota remained dangerous, including a surprise 1987 NFC title-game run, while assembling the stars of its next offense.

Read the era story →

Career accomplishments

8 NFL seasons108 career games1 career sacks0 playoff appearancesFirst appearance: Sep 7, 1980Most recent: Dec 13, 1987

Official awards via ESPN · Pro Bowl and All-Pro counts via NFLverse with selection years cross-checked against Wikipedia · league leads verified from indexed regular-season stats

Team history