Flint Northern, 1996
2023 Greater Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
Category: Football
Robaire Smith is a proud graduate of Flint Northern High School where he dominated in football, playing both offense and defense for the Vikings.
He was a Parade All-American selection as a senior at Northern. Smith earned first-team All-State honors his senior season with 92 tackles, 11 sacks and caught 17 passes for 297 yards and six touchdowns. He also earned All-City and All-Saginaw Valley honors.
One of Smith’s defining moments as a high school football player came in a game against Flint Northwestern where he scored the game winning touchdown.
He then attended Michigan State University and ranks fifth on the Spartans’ career list with 22 sacks and fourth in tackles for loss with 48. He finished his college career with 191 tackles, 22 sacks, three interceptions, and four forced fumbles.
Smith was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 6th Round of the NFL Draft. He went on to play 11 years in the NFL playing for the Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns. Smith finished his NFL career with 398 total tackles and 21 sacks.
In 2005, he donated $100,000 to help renovate Flint’s Atwood Stadium.
Robaire Smith, you are the true definition of being “Flint Strong!” You have made Flint proud. Welcome to the Greater Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame!
