Preston Smith

PRO CAREER

• Has played in 155 games (138 starts) over his 10-year NFL career (Washington, 2015-18; Green Bay, 2019-24)
• Missed only one game in the first nine years of his NFL career (Week 7 in 2021 with an oblique injury)
• Has played in eight career postseason games (seven starts)
• Has registered 425 tackles (265 solo), 155 quarterback hits, 71 tackles for loss, 68.5 sacks, 27 passes defensed, 10 forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and five interceptions
• Started at least 13 regular-season games in each of the last nine seasons (2016-23)
• Leads all defensive players in the NFL with 155 games played since entering the League in 2015
• Departed Green Bay with 43.5 sacks for the Packers, which is the sixth-most in franchise history
• One of two NFL players (T.J. Watt) to register 65.0 or more sacks (68.5), five or more interceptions (five) and five or more forced fumbles (nine) from 2015-23
• One of 11 NFL players to post 8.0 or more sacks in each of the last three seasons (2021-23)
• Only active player in the NFL with 30 or more tackles and 4.0 or more sacks in each of the last nine seasons (2015-23)
• Led all NFL rookies with 8.0 sacks in 2015
• Made NFL debut in Week 1 of 2015 (vs. Miami)
• Made NFL starting debut in Week 14 of 2014 (at Chicago)

PRO CAREER

• Has played in 155 games (138 starts) over his 10-year NFL career (Washington, 2015-18; Green Bay, 2019-24)
• Missed only one game in the first nine years of his NFL career (Week 7 in 2021 with an oblique injury)
• Has played in eight career postseason games (seven starts)
• Has registered 425 tackles (265 solo), 155 quarterback hits, 71 tackles for loss, 68.5 sacks, 27 passes defensed, 10 forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and five interceptions
• Started at least 13 regular-season games in each of the last nine seasons (2016-23)
• Leads all defensive players in the NFL with 155 games played since entering the League in 2015
• Departed Green Bay with 43.5 sacks for the Packers, which is the sixth-most in franchise history
• One of two NFL players (T.J. Watt) to register 65.0 or more sacks (68.5), five or more interceptions (five) and five or more forced fumbles (nine) from 2015-23
• One of 11 NFL players to post 8.0 or more sacks in each of the last three seasons (2021-23)
• Only active player in the NFL with 30 or more tackles and 4.0 or more sacks in each of the last nine seasons (2015-23)
• Led all NFL rookies with 8.0 sacks in 2015
• Made NFL debut in Week 1 of 2015 (vs. Miami)
• Made NFL starting debut in Week 14 of 2014 (at Chicago)

2023 (PACKERS)

• Started all 17 regular-season games
• Registered 48 tackles (28 solo), 8.0 sacks (second on the team), 21 quarterback hits (second on the team), four tackles for loss, a career-high-tying four passes defensed (2015) and 44 QB pressures according to NextGenStat (third on the team)
• Started both postseason games and led the team in sacks (1.5) and quarterback hits (three) while also registering five QB pressures according to NextGenStat (tied for third on the team)
• Registered five tackles (two solo), 2.0 sacks, one tackle for a loss, four quarterback hits, one pass defensed and one forced fumble in Week 8 vs. Minnesota
• Posted at least 1.0 sack in three straight games for the first time since 2018 (Games 9-11 with Washington)
• Registered four tackles (three solo), one tackle for a loss, one quarterback hit and 1.0 sack in Week 10 at Pittsburgh
• Recorded three tackles (two solo), 1.5 sacks, one tackle for a loss, five quarterback pressures and tied his season best with four quarterback hits in Week 16 at Carolina
• Registered one tackle (assist), a team-best three quarterback hits, three quarterback pressures and one forced fumble in Week 17 at Minnesota

2022 (PACKERS)

• Started all 17 regular-season games
• Led the team in sacks (8.5), tackles for a loss (nine) and quarterback hits (20)
• Registered 59 tackles (38 solo)
• His 20 quarterback hits was tied for the 10th-most among linebackers
• Led the defense with seven tackles (four solo), 2.0 sacks, two tackles for a loss and three quarterback hits in Week 2 vs. Chicago
• Finished with four tackles (three solo), a team-high three quarterback hits, one tackle for a loss and 1.0 sack in Week 5 vs. N.Y. Giants
• Posted five tackles (two solo), two quarterback hits, one tackle for a loss and 1.5 sacks in Week 11 vs. Tennessee
• Finished with six tackles (three solo), one tackle for a loss, one quarterback hit and 0.5 sack in Week 12 at Philadelphia
• Posted three tackles (two solo), four quarterback hits and 2.0 sacks in Week 15 at L.A. Rams; marked his sixth 2.0+ sack game as a Packer

2021 (PACKERS)

• Started all 16 regular-season games he played
• Recorded 38 tackles (25 solo), 9.0 sacks (second on the team), a team-best nine tackles for a loss and 17 quarterback hits (second on the team)
• Missed the first game of his career (Week 7) due to an oblique injury, ending a streak of 102 consecutive games played
• Recorded four tackles (one solo), 1.0 sack, one quarterback hit and one tackle for a loss in Week 5 at Cincinnati
• Posted six tackles (four solo), 2.0 sacks, three quarterback hits, two tackles for a loss and one forced fumble in Week 11 at Minnesota
• Registered four tackles (three solo), a team-best 2.0 sacks, one forced fumble, one tackle for a loss and tied for the team lead with three quarterback hits in Week 14 vs. Chicago
• Finished with three tackles (two solo), one quarterback hit and a team-best four quarterback pressures in Week 15 at Baltimore
• Posted three tackles (two solo), 1.0 sack, one tackle for a loss and one quarterback hit in Week 16 vs. Cleveland
• Finished with four tackles (three solo), 1.0 sack, two tackles for a loss, one quarterback hit and one pass defensed in Week 17 vs. Minnesota
• Posted a team-high nine tackles (six solo), his most in a postseason game, and also tied his regular-season high for a single game (two times in 2019) vs. San Francisco in the NFC Divisional

2020 (PACKERS)

• Played in all 16 regular-season games (13 starts)
• Recorded 42 tackles (29 solo), seven tackles for a loss (second on the team), 11 quarterback hits (tied for second on the team), 4.0 sacks (tied for third on the team), three passes defensed (tied for first among Packer LBs) and one fumble recovery returned for a TD
• Started both postseason contests, posting six tackles (four solo), two quarterback hits and two passes defensed
• Tallied three tackles (two solo), 1.0 sack, two quarterback hits, one tackle for a loss and returned a fumble 14 yards for a TD in Week 12 vs. Chicago
• Registered five tackles (three solo), 0.5 sack, one tackle for a loss, one quarterback hit and one pass defensed in Week 13 vs. Philadelphia
• Recorded three tackles (two solo), one quarterback hit and two passes defensed vs. L.A. Rams in the NFC Divisional

2019 (PACKERS)

• Started all 16 regular-season games for the fourth straight season and registered a career-high 75 tackles (42 solo), a career-best 12.0 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, three passes defensed, 29 quarterback hits (second on the team) and 43 quarterback pressures (second on the team)
• Named a Pro Bowl alternate in his first season with the Packers after ranking eighth in the NFL in sacks
• Ranked tied for second in the NFL in third-down sacks with seven
• Joined LB Za'Darius Smith (13.5) as the only teammate duo in the league in 2019 with 12.0+ sacks each
• Became the only duo in NFL history with 12.0+ sacks each in their first season as teammates and were the second tandem in Packers history to each have 10.0+ sacks in a season (Reggie White, 13.0; Bryce Paup, 11.0 in 1993) since 1982.
• In the 2019 Divisional Playoff game vs. Seattle, joined Za'Darius Smith to become just the second duo in team history to both register 2.0+ sacks in the same playoff game (LBs Mike Neal and Nick Perry at Washington in 2015 postseason)
• Posted four games with 1.5+ sacks, which was tied for the fourth-most in the NFL
• Finished with eight tackles (three solo), a team-high 1.5 sacks, one pass defensed, two quarterback pressures and five quarterback hits in his Green Bay debut in Week 1 at Chicago
• Posted four tackles (three solo), one interception, four quarterback pressures and three quarterback hits in Week 2 vs. Minnesota
• The interception gave him at least one in each of the last four seasons, one of only seven NFL linebackers to accomplish that feat (2016-19)
• Matched his career high with 3.0 sacks (at Philadelphia, Dec. 26, 2015) to go with six tackles (four solo), three quarterback pressures and one quarterback hit in Week 3 vs. Denver
• Earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against the Broncos
• Finished with four tackles (three solo), 1.0 sack, four quarterback hits and three quarterback pressures in Week 5 at Dallas
• Recorded five tackles (two solo), 1.5 sacks and one quarterback hit in Week 6 vs. Detroit
• Matched his career high from the previous week at L.A. Chargers with nine tackles (seven solo) along with 2.0 sacks, two quarterback hits and two quarterback pressures in Week 10 vs. Carolina
• Posted six tackles (four solo), one tackle for a loss, a team-high six quarterback pressures and one quarterback hit in Week 15 vs. Chicago
• Posted four tackles (two solo), 2.0 sacks, four quarterback pressures and three quarterback hits vs. Seattle in the NFC Divisional

2018 (COMMANDERS)

• Started all 16 regular-season games for the third consecutive season and registered 53 tackles (30 solo), 4.0 sacks, one interception, three passes defensed and one fumble recovery
• His 16 quarterback hits ranked second on the team
• Scored his first career TD on a fumble recovery late in the fourth quarter as a result of a Ryan Kerrigan strip-sack; added an assisted tackle, two quarterback hits and one pass defensed in Week 7 vs. Dallas
• Registered three tackles (two solo) and 1.0 sack in Week 10 at Tampa Bay
• Recorded four tackles (three solo), 1.0 sack, two quarterback hits, one interception and one pass defensed in Week 11 vs. Houston
• Tallied eight tackles (three solo) and 1.5 sacks in Week 12 at Dallas

2017 (COMMANDERS)

• Started all 16 regular-season games, recording 42 tackles (31 solo), a career-best two interceptions, 8.0 sacks, a team-high 21 quarterback hits, three passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery
• Registered 8.0 sacks and two interceptions to make him the first NFL linebacker since Ravens' Terrell Suggs in 2011 to register 8.0+ sacks and two or more interceptions in the game season
• One of three defensive players (Ryan Kerrigan, D.J. Swearinger) to start all 16 games for Washington
• Posted two tackles, 0.5 sack and one pass defensed in Week 6 vs. San Francisco
• Joined Marco Coleman (2000), Fred Stokes (1991) and Charles Mann (1989) as the only players in team history to record at least 0.5 sack in each of the first five games of a season since the NFL adopted sacks as an official statistic in 1982
• Tallied three solo tackles, 1.0 sack, one interception and one fumble recovery in Week 15 vs. Arizona; first member of the franchise to record a sack, fumble recovery and interception in a single game since LB Monte Coleman vs. Atlanta on Dec. 19, 1993
• Recorded three tackles (two solo) and one interception in Week 16 at N.Y. Giants
• First Washington LB to record multiple interceptions in a single season since Perry Riley Jr. (two) in 2015 and the first OLB to accomplish the feat for Washington since Rob Jackson (four) in 2012

2016 (COMMANDERS)

• Started all 16 regular-season games, compiling 38 tackles (22 solo), 4.5 sacks, 12 quarterback hits, three passes defensed and one interception
• One of seven NFL linebackers to register 4.0 or more sacks and one interception
• Tallied four tackles (two solo), 2.0 sacks and the first interception of his career in Week 10 vs. Minnesota
• Became the fourth member of the franchise to record 2.0 sacks and one interception in a single game since 1982, joining Marcus Washington (Dec. 18, 2005), Shawn Springs (Dec. 26, 2004) and Monte Coleman (Dec. 19, 1993)

2015 (COMMANDERS)

• Played in all 16 regular-season games and one postseason contest
• Posted 30 tackles (20 solo), 8.0 sacks, four passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery on defense and recorded five tackles and one forced fumble on special teams
• Led all NFL rookies in sacks, becoming the first member of Washington to do so since Bryan Orakpo in 2009
• Dating back to 1982, recorded the second-most sacks by a Washington rookie behind the 11 that Orakpo registered in 2009
• Made his NFL debut and recorded his first career sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery on a single play when he jarred the ball loose from Ryan Tannehill and recovered the ball 25 yards downfield (also forced a fumble on special teams) in Week 1 vs. Miami
• Posted four tackles (three solo), a career-high 3.0 sacks and a forced fumble in a division-clinching win in Week 16 at Philadelphia -- first multi-sack game of his career
• His 3.0 sacks were tied for the second most in a game by a Washington rookie (Orakpo, 4.0 at Oakland, Dec. 13, 2013)
• Tallied three tackles (two solo), including a 5-yard sack for a safety, vs. Green Bay in the NFC Wild Card
• The safety was the team's first in the postseason since recording a team safety in the NFC Divisional round vs. Chicago Bears on Dec. 30, 1984

COLLEGE

• Played in 47 games (24 starts) at Mississippi State (2011-14)
• Registered 134 tackles (73 solo), 27 tackles for a loss, 16.0 sacks, five forced fumbles and two interceptions (one returned for a TD)
• Played in the 2015 Senior Bowl
• Majored in interdisciplinary studies
• Started all 13 games and became the first player in SEC history to be named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week for three consecutive weeks (vs. Southern Miss, vs. UAB, at South Alabama) in 2014
• Led the team in sacks (9.0), tackles for a loss (15) and QB hurries (15) en route to earning first-team All-SEC honors from the league's coaches
• Blocked two field goals and tallied two interceptions, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles in 2014
• Named Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Liberty Bowl vs. Rice (Dec. 31) after recording a game-high six tackles (four solo) in 2013

PERSONAL

• Given name Preston Demarquis Smith
• Born in Atlanta, Georgia
• Married to Realyn and the couple has two daughters, Lauren and Phoenix, and a son, Preston II
• Resided in Lithonia, Georgia, while attending Stephenson H.S. in Stone Mountain, Georgia
• Registered 68 tackles and 9.0 sacks as a senior for the 9-2 Jaguars
• As a junior, played on an 11-1 squad that won the Region 2 crown
• Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals.com
• Played for a Stephenson team that had 29 of 32 senior players sign a college scholarship

COMMUNITY

• Signed autographs during the holidays to raise money for The Salvation Army
• Attended Youth For Tomorrow's Burgundy & Gold Banquet to support local teenage boys and girls experiencing traumatic circumstances with their families
• Led elementary-school students through drills to promote physical fitness, healthy lifestyle habits and proper nutrition at the Fuel Up to Play 60 mini-combine
• Participated in a Marine Corps Quantico tour to experience Marine life while stationed on base
• Participated in the inaugural Washington Charity Golf Classic to benefit children in the community
• Attended the Rookie Community Club's Military Appreciation BBQ to honor active-duty service members and their families, as well as Wounded Warriors
• Assembled care packages for victims of domestic violence in collaboration with the Fear 2 Freedom and Rookie Community Club