Bubba Smith was found dead this week.

Smith was found dead at his Baldwin Hills home. Bubba Smith was 66. A caretaker found Smith dead at his home Wednesday afternoon, police said. A 6-foot-7, 280-pound defensive end, Smith was the No. 1 NFL draft pick from Michigan State University when he joined the Baltimore Colts in 1967. Smith was a two-time all-American for the powerhouse Michigan State teams of the mid-60s. In Smith’s five years in Baltimore, the Colts compiled a 53-13-4 regular-season record.



During his long rehabilitation, Smith was traded to the Raiders for tight end Raymond Chester. Smith, like many of his teammates, never got over the Colts’ shocking defeat to the Jets in Super Bowl 3. (America’s Game, 1970 Baltimore Colts) (NFL Films: America’s Game, 1970 Baltimore Colts) Smith remembered it like this:World Champions. (NFL Films: America’s Game, 1970 Baltimore Colts)Super Bowl 5 was the Colts’ last championship in Baltimore. Bubba Smith is an important part of that heritage. Smith jumped down, all 6-foot-8 of him. “They all just leaned waaaay back,” said Smith.