Washington’s Jerry Smith among those who paved the way for Carl Nassib’s coming out as gay

Washington selected Smith in the ninth round of the 1965 NFL draft out of Arizona State. Originally a split end, he converted to tight end in 1966 and developed into one of the best to ever play the position. In 1967, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Smith, a fearless blocker who took on much larger defenders, caught 67 passes for 849 yards and 12 touchdowns in a 14-game season, resulting in the first of his two Pro Bowl nods. He retired in 1978 with 60 career touchdown catches, all with Washington, a record for tight ends that stood until the Denver Broncos’ Shannon Sharpe broke the mark in 2003. Despite his gaudy numbers, Smith has never been a finalist for the Hall of Fame.