Smith has never been voted into the Pro Bowl. Tampa Bay began to break through last season. Maybe a Super Bowl upset will do it. Jessie Tuggle has been among the NFL's two or three best linebackers throughout the '90s, but he's from Atlanta and has constantly been shortchanged. I've been following Jessie's pattern.
People can be so blind to good players on weaker teams.
It's been so much easier to be a Pro Bowler with the Packers, 49ers or Cowboys. Dan Reeves became our coach in 1997 and suddenly there was discipline and structure but not a dictatorship. Chuck recalled the pits. I was hungry and hopeful. But not enough Falcons had a similar attitude.