Irvin Martin Smith Jr. aka Irv Smith Jr. is a tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals. The Minnesota Vikings selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Smith Jr. played college football at Alabama.
He was born to Irv Smith Sr. and Rose Matamoros in New Orleans, Louisiana. He moved to Arizona with his parents shortly after his birth and spent 14 years there. Smith Jr. returned to New Orleans at 14 and attended Brother Martin High School there.
His parents were never married but they were in a relationship for over five years. According to the reports, they started dating around 1993 and were together until Smith Jr. turned one. After their split, Smith Sr. and Rose agreed to share the custody of their child.
His father, Smith Sr., also played in the NFL as a tight end. He started his career with the New Orleans Saints in 1993 and played there for five seasons. After that, he played one season with the San Francisco 49ers and one season with the Browns before hanging up his boots.
Career Highlights
- Smith Jr. initially committed to play with Texas A&M University, however, he later played with the University of Alabama.
- He played college football for two years and entered the 2019 NFL Draft.
- The Minnesota Vikings selected him in the second round, 50th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.
- He made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons.
- Irv made the first reception of his career in the Week 2 match against the Green Bay Packers.
- He finished his rookie season with 36 receptions for 311 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
- Smith Jr. ended the 2020 season with 30 receptions for 365 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns from 13 matches.
- He was sidelined from the entire 2021 season after he underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
- He started the 2022 season, however, he suffered an ankle injury in a Week 8 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
- Smith finished the 2022 season with 25 receptions for 182 receiving yards from eight games.
- Irv signed a one-year $1.75 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals on March 30, 2023.
- He suffered a hamstring injury during a Week 3 match against the Los Angeles Rams.
Career Stats
| SEASON | TEAM | GP | GS | REC | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD | ATT | YDS | AVG | LNG | TD | FUM | LOST |
| 2019 | Minnesota Vikings | 16 | 7 | 36 | 311 | 8.6 | 29 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2020 | Minnesota Vikings | 13 | 7 | 30 | 365 | 12.2 | 36 | 5 | |||||||
| 2022 | Minnesota Vikings | 8 | 1 | 25 | 182 | 7.3 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2023 | Cincinnati Bengals | 12 | 6 | 18 | 115 | 6.4 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| TOTAL | 49 | 21 | 109 | 973 | 8.6 | 36 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
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