Former Tennessee Vol defensive end Chuck Smith returned to Shields-Watkins Field, this time to present an oversize check to athletics director Doug Dickey representing his personal commitment of $150,000 for the Athletic Departments Facilities Program.
Smiths gift will be used to create the Chuck Smith Players Lounge in the current Neyland-Thompson Complex when a renovation and expansion project begins on that facility this winter.
“Chuck Smith has stepped forward to make a gift to help make our football program even better”, Dickey said. “He certainly made his impact felt while he was here and, 10 years later, he is continuing to have a major impact on our program.”
Smith, a native of Athens, Ga., played for the Vols in 1990 and 1991 after a stint at Northeastern Oklahoma Junior College in Miami, Okla. He had nine sacks in his senior season of 1991, ninth best single-season mark in Vols history. He was a member of the Vols 1990 SEC championship team.
“This is something I am proud to do for the University of Tennessee and the football program,” Smith said. “I remember well my time at the University and wanted to help the program continue to prosper. The players lounge will give our student-athletes a dedicated place to get together and build team relationships during breaks between class and practice and other responsibilities.”
After his UT days, Smith was a second round choice of the Falcons in the 1992 NFL Draft. He helped lead the way for the Falcons to the NFC crown and berth in Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999. While with the Falcons, he was a team captain, was selected the Greatest Falcon Lineman Ever and was named an Unsung Hero by the National Football League. He was named a Howie Long Tough Guy in 1998.
“Chuck is a perfect example of a young man who came to the University of Tennessee and made the most of his opportunities while he was here”, Associate AD Carmen Tegano said. “Because of that effort then, he is now in a position to contribute to our efforts to continue to be top-flight in every sense of the word. Chucks commitment to the University parallels his commitment to his family and his community involvement in Atlanta since his retirement from professional football.”
His community involvement includes his duties as a spokesperson for the state of Georgia Juvenile Arthritis Foundation, Toys for Tots and the Girls and Boys Clubs.
Smith now lives in Duluth, Ga., with his wife, Mynique, and children Giavani and Chuck IV. He currently works with WSB-TV in Atlanta as a sportscaster on the morning show. He has appeared on Sports Final on WBS and is a guest host on CNN Talkback Live. He is also on the SEC Report on Fox SportSouth each Thursday evening.
The Chuck Smith Players Lounge is part of a comprehensive plan for new, renovated and expanded facilities benefiting 17 of UTs 20 men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports. These improvements are designed to enable UT to continue to compete for SEC and NCAA championships in each of its sports.
For more information about Tennessee athletic facility renovations plans, or to find out about donating to the university’s athletic departments call 865-974-1218.

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