Drafted in 1964 by the American Football League's Buffalo Bills, Smith was from the University of North Texas. He had a 4.9 yards per attempt rushing average in his rookie year, and with the Bills, he won two consecutive American Football League Championships, in 1964 and 1965. He ended his Pro Football career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1966. In typical denigration of the AFL, Pittsburgh's and the NFL's press guides listed Smith as a "rookie", even though he had previously played on two American Football League Championship teams.