# Malcolm Smith (American football)
**Malcolm Smith** (Malcolm [Xavier Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/xavier-smith), born 1989 in Los Angeles, California) is a former [American football](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-football) linebacker who played 11 seasons in the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league) and was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XLVIII after the Seattle Seahawks' 43-8 win over the Denver Broncos in February 2014[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/s/smit27340.html) • [2](https://50.seahawks.com/players/malcolm-smith). A seventh-round draft pick, he became the third linebacker to win the Super Bowl MVP award[3](https://www.si.com/nfl/2014/02/03/malcolm-smith-super-bowl-xlviii-mvp).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1989, Los Angeles, CA; 6 ft 0 in, 225 lb; William Howard Taft High School (Los Angeles)[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/s/smit27340.html) |
| College | Southern California, 2007 to 2010, lettered all four years; 47 games, 174 tackles, two interceptions, one sack, two defensive scores[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/s/smit27340.html) • [4](https://static.www.nfl.com/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2021/CLE.pdf) |
| Draft | Seventh round (242nd overall), 2011, Seattle Seahawks[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/s/smit27340.html) |
| Super Bowl XLVIII MVP | 10 tackles, a fumble recovery, and a 69-yard interception return for a touchdown against Peyton Manning in Seattle's 43-8 win[2](https://50.seahawks.com/players/malcolm-smith) |
| NFL teams | Seattle (2011-2014), Oakland (2015-2016), San Francisco (2017-2018), Jacksonville and Dallas (2019), Cleveland (2020-2021)[5](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/malcolm-smith/6394) |
| Career totals | 134 games, 469 tackles, 7 interceptions, 1 defensive touchdown, 7 sacks[6](https://www.nfl.com/players/malcolm-smith/stats/career) |
| Family | Brother of former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/s/smit27340.html) |
## College career at USC
Smith played linebacker at the [University of Southern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-southern-california) from 2007 through 2010, lettering in each of his four seasons[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/s/smit27340.html). Over 47 career games with the Trojans he registered 174 tackles, two interceptions, one sack, and two defensive scores[4](https://static.www.nfl.com/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2021/CLE.pdf). Despite that production, he was not selected until the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft, where the [Seattle Seahawks](https://www.edgepedia.org/seattle-seahawks) took him 242nd overall[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/s/smit27340.html).
## Seattle Seahawks and Super Bowl XLVIII
**A part-time starter becomes MVP.** Smith spent most of his first two Seattle seasons on special teams, but his playing time grew in 2013, when he started eight games for a 13-3 team fielding one of the best defenses in NFL history. That regular season he returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown[2](https://50.seahawks.com/players/malcolm-smith). His 2013 postseason began with nine tackles in a win over Washington, and in the [NFC Championship Game](https://www.edgepedia.org/nfc-championship-game) he made the game-clinching interception, catching a pass that Richard Sherman had tipped in the end zone to seal a victory over San Francisco[2](https://50.seahawks.com/players/malcolm-smith) • [7](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1945798-winners-losers-from-super-bowl-xlviii).
In [Super Bowl XLVIII](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl-xlviii) at [MetLife Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/metlife-stadium), Smith intercepted a pass from Broncos quarterback [Peyton Manning](https://www.edgepedia.org/peyton-manning) that had fluttered after defensive end Cliff Avril struck Manning's arm mid-release, and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown that gave Seattle a 22-0 lead in the second quarter[8](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/02/malcolm-smith-super-bowl-mvp-seattle-manning-denver). He also recovered a fumble and finished with a team-high 10 tackles[2](https://50.seahawks.com/players/malcolm-smith) • [9](https://www.seahawks.com/news/thursday-round-up-where-does-former-seattle-seahawks-linebacker-malcolm-s-150146). He was voted the game's MVP, joining Chuck Howley (Super Bowl V) and Ray Lewis (Super Bowl XXXV) as the only linebackers to that point to win the award[3](https://www.si.com/nfl/2014/02/03/malcolm-smith-super-bowl-xlviii-mvp). He was the first defensive player to receive it since safety Dexter Jackson in Super Bowl XXXVII[10](https://www.nfl.com/news/seahawks-malcolm-smith-wins-super-bowl-xlviii-mvp-0ap2000000322935).
The choice drew discussion because so many Seahawks stood out in the lopsided win; an ESPN ranking of the first 49 Super Bowl MVPs placed Smith 48th, and writers argued for teammates including [Kam Chancellor](https://www.edgepedia.org/kam-chancellor), Percy Harvin, Cliff Avril, and [Russell Wilson](https://www.edgepedia.org/russell-wilson)[9](https://www.seahawks.com/news/thursday-round-up-where-does-former-seattle-seahawks-linebacker-malcolm-s-150146). Smith returned to the [Super Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl) with Seattle the following year, a 28-24 loss to New England, and finished his Seahawks career with 57 games and 16 starts[2](https://50.seahawks.com/players/malcolm-smith).
## Later career
Smith signed with the [Oakland Raiders](https://www.edgepedia.org/oakland-raiders) in 2015 and became a full-time starter for two seasons. His 2015 season was his most productive, with 16 games, 117 tackles, and 4 sacks[6](https://www.nfl.com/players/malcolm-smith/stats/career). He moved to the [San Francisco 49ers](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-francisco-49ers) in 2017, but tore a pectoral and missed that entire season[11](https://www.nfl.com/news/niners-lb-malcolm-smith-pectoral-out-for-season-0ap3000000826247); he returned to play 12 games for San Francisco in 2018[6](https://www.nfl.com/players/malcolm-smith/stats/career).
In 2019 he appeared in two games for the [Jacksonville Jaguars](https://www.edgepedia.org/jacksonville-jaguars) and two for the Dallas Cowboys, and he finished his career with the Cleveland Browns in 2020 and 2021[5](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/malcolm-smith/6394). In his first Browns season he played 15 games with four starts and finished second on the team with 72 tackles, adding a sack, an interception, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble[4](https://static.www.nfl.com/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2021/CLE.pdf).
## Career statistics
Across 11 NFL seasons Smith played 134 games, recording 469 total tackles, 7 interceptions, 24 passes defensed, 7 sacks, and 1 defensive touchdown, the 69-yard return in Super Bowl XLVIII[6](https://www.nfl.com/players/malcolm-smith/stats/career). His single championship and MVP award both came in the 2013 season with Seattle[2](https://50.seahawks.com/players/malcolm-smith).
## References
1. [Malcolm Smith Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College, Pro Football Archives](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/s/smit27340.html)
2. [Malcolm Smith, Seahawks 50 Seasons, Seahawks.com](https://50.seahawks.com/players/malcolm-smith)
3. [Malcolm Smith wins Super Bowl XLVIII MVP, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/nfl/2014/02/03/malcolm-smith-super-bowl-xlviii-mvp)
4. [Cleveland Browns 2021 Media Guide, Malcolm Smith](https://static.www.nfl.com/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2021/CLE.pdf)
5. [Malcolm Smith, Cleveland Browns LB, PFF](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/malcolm-smith/6394)
6. [Malcolm Smith Career Stats, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/players/malcolm-smith/stats/career)
7. [Winners and Losers from Super Bowl XLVIII, Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1945798-winners-losers-from-super-bowl-xlviii)
8. [Super Bowl 2014: Malcolm Smith is MVP as Seattle dismantle Denver, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/02/malcolm-smith-super-bowl-mvp-seattle-manning-denver)
9. [Where Does Former Seahawks Linebacker Malcolm Smith Rank Among Super Bowl MVPs?, Seahawks.com](https://www.seahawks.com/news/thursday-round-up-where-does-former-seattle-seahawks-linebacker-malcolm-s-150146)
10. [Seahawks' Malcolm Smith wins Super Bowl XLVIII MVP, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/seahawks-malcolm-smith-wins-super-bowl-xlviii-mvp-0ap2000000322935)
11. [Niners LB Malcolm Smith (pectoral) out for season, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/niners-lb-malcolm-smith-pectoral-out-for-season-0ap3000000826247)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Linebackers › Retired modern linebackers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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