National Football League

Versatile Brad Smith is Jets' 'Superman'

Published Dec. 2, 2010 4:07 a.m. ET

foxsports

The nicknames started to fly as soon as Brad Smith's left shoe popped off.

Shoeless Brad Smith. One-Shoe Smith. Slash. Mr. Do-It-All.

Sione Pouha has one he thinks says it best.

''Superman,'' the New York Jets defensive tackle said with a laugh. ''I just call him Superman. The guy's amazing.''

Smith became the third wide receiver since 1950, and first since Billy ''White Shoes'' Johnson in 1977, to score on both a run and a return - even after one shoe fell off - last Thursday night in the Jets' 26-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Not bad for a guy who was a record-breaking quarterback at the University of Missouri.

''I just try to focus on my job,'' Smith said. ''I focus on what I have to do and what the play calls for at any given time.''

Yawn. As exciting as he is on the field, Smith is even more low key and unassuming off it.

''You'd think a guy like him would be a little more cocky and a little more arrogant,'' linebacker Vernon Gholston said. ''Not Brad. Pretty much, whatever you ask him to do, he does.''

The AFC special teams player of the week had a 53-yard touchdown run on an end-around reverse last week and scored on an 89-yard kickoff return, scampering the last 45 yards with only one shoe, to spark the Jets in the second half.

''He looked faster with the one shoe than he did two shoes,'' coach Rex Ryan quipped, ''so we're going to look at that.''

Smith has his team believing he can do anything, mostly because he has in his four-plus seasons with New York. According to the Jets, he's the only player in the modern era - since 1933 - to have scored during a career in each of the following ways: receiving (two), rushing (two), kickoff return (two), blocked punt return (one) and thrown a touchdown pass (one).

''He's a very explosive player,'' fullback John Conner said. ''I think a lot of teams are going to be looking out for him and studying our game tape.''

That's for sure, starting with New England. The AFC East rivals play for the division lead Monday night at Foxborough.

''He's a lot of fun to watch,'' Conner said. ''We were watching the game film from the last game. It was a Brad Smith highlight tape.''

Against Cincinnati, Smith also joined Dominic Rhodes (2001) and Brian Mitchell (2000) as the only players in NFL history to score on a kickoff return of 80-plus yards and a run of 50-plus yards in the same game.

''He does everything short of play defense,'' safety James Ihedigbo said. ''And he probably could do that, too.''

Smith was converted from quarterback to wide receiver when he came to New York as a fourth-round draft pick in 2006. He has been a valuable and versatile part of the Jets' offense and special teams unit, a threat to score whenever he has the football in his hands.

''Brad's a great all-around athlete,'' Gholston said. ''You know, taking snaps out of the wildcat, wide receiver, quarterback, special teams and running down making tackles. When you can do all those things for a team, it makes his value soar. He's probably one of the most important guys on the team, to be honest.''

Smith was impressive when he took over as the team's primary kickoff returner last year after Leon Washington was sidelined for the season.

''Being back there with Leon for a few years and lead blocking for him, it helped me get a feel for the reads and what things might work and what things might be open,'' Smith said. ''I thought I could be successful at it, but you don't know until you do it.''

Special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff had no doubt, even after Washington was traded to Seattle during the draft. Turns out, they were both right. Smith's 29.2-yard kickoff return average leads the league.

''It was unexpected by a lot of people, but we knew that he's a special guy,'' Ihedigbo said. ''For us to lose Leon and Brad to come in and we haven't even missed a beat, but got better, that's a testament to his ability.''

Smith has four catches for 44 yards, 216 yards rushing on 27 carries, a 3-yard touchdown toss on his only pass attempt and 13 special teams tackles. While he's seeing fewer passes as a wide receiver with Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery in the mix, Smith has excelled in other areas. So much so, his coach is already pushing for a trip to Hawaii.

''He better go to the Pro Bowl this year as a special teams player,'' Ryan said.

For all his success as a multiple threat, Smith still thinks of himself as a quarterback.

''I mean, that's what I played my whole life,'' he said. ''To be honest, that's where I'm most comfortable. In a game, if you put me under center, that's where I feel most comfortable. Playing receiver is a whole lot of fun, too.''

Smith has thrown just six passes in the NFL after becoming the first college player to throw for 8,000 yards and run for 4,000 in a career. He said ''several'' teams scouted him as a quarterback, and thinks he could still play that position.

''I believe in my abilities and what I'm able to do, but that's not the case right now,'' Smith said. ''It's not even worth thinking about.''

Keeping both shoes on his feet is much more of a concern - unless it might land him a sock deal.

''Hey, I like that,'' Smith said, smiling. ''Let's make that happen.''