As former Southern Miss running back Tony Smith celebrates his 54th birthday today, we look back at the career of one of Southern Miss’s most electrifying football stars of the early 1990s.
Born June 29, 1970, in Chicago and raised in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Smith starred at Warren Central High School before signing with Southern Miss in 1988 and redshirting. Though he initially came to campus as a wide receiver, Smith made a smooth transition to running back — a position that would define his collegiate and professional journey.
During his time in Hattiesburg He was a dynamic playmaker for the Golden Eagles, rushing for 1,703 yards and 12 touchdowns from 1989 to 1991. Perhaps most notably, he shared the backfield with Brett Favre for two seasons. Smith was a key part of the 1990 Southern Miss team that stunned #13 Alabama in Birmingham — a signature moment that still resonates in program history.
Smith’s versatility extended beyond the backfield — he returned kicks, lined up as a slot receiver, and often drew the defensive attention that allowed Favre to work downfield.
In the 1992 NFL Draft, Tony Smith made headlines when he was selected 19th overall by the Atlanta Falcons. The pick itself carried extra intrigue — it was the draft selection Atlanta received from Green Bay in the trade that sent Brett Favre to the Packers a year earlier.
In his rookie campaign, Smith showed flashes of promise. He rushed 87 times for 329 yards and two touchdowns and served as a reliable kick returner. However, Atlanta’s offense was shifting under then-head coach Jerry Glanville, and Smith soon found himself phased out of the game plan.
Despite being a first-rounder, he saw no carries in his second or third seasons. After the 1994 season, Smith became a free agent — and one of the more mysterious figures of early ’90s Falcons lore.
Smith attempted a comeback in 1995 with the expansion Carolina Panthers, but disaster struck in the preseason. He suffered a devastating leg injury — a broken tibia and fibula — which derailed his NFL hopes once again.
Refusing to let his career end on a stretcher, Smith signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League in 1998. He played in four games, rushing 23 times for 26 yards while handling punt and kick return duties.
In spring 1999, he made one final attempt at the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles, but a hamstring injury led to his release before training camp. Just like that, the football chapter of Tony Smith’s life came to a close.
For years, Smith’s name was synonymous with “what if?” questions. As a first-round pick whose pro career never took off, he bore the brunt of criticism — some fair, much of it not. In a 2016 interview, he acknowledged the narrative but made peace with it.
“I didn’t go into the game to be a bust on purpose,” Smith said. “I’ve outgrown that stuff. It’s not a big deal anymore.” In that same year, he was inducted into the Warren County Sports Hall of Fame, honored not for his NFL stats, but for the pride he brought to Vicksburg, Southern Miss, and the state of Mississippi. His perseverance and humility have resonated long after his final carry. He also apart of the Southern Miss M Club and a member of the Southern Miss All Century Team.
As Tony Smith turns 55 today, his legacy remains complicated but worthy of celebration. From his days dazzling crowds at M.M. Roberts Stadium to his name being called in the first round of the NFL Draft, Smith’s story is one of talent, trials, and transformation.
He may not have had the lengthy pro career some envisioned, but Tony Smith remains one of the most electric players to ever don the black and gold of Southern Miss.
Happy Birthday, Tony.
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