The Salvation Army is set to host their annual “Souper Bowl for the Hungry” on February 21 with a luncheon which will feature Sherman Smith, a former running back coach for the Seattle Seahawks.

Smith also coached with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans.

The event marks the official end of the football season. The Salvation Army’s “Souper Bowl for the Hungry” will be held at the Holiday Inn in Johnson City.

This luncheon, an annual affair for the past 23 years, has become a premier event in the region, hosting a sell-out crowd each February. The Souper Bowl always features a well-known and accomplished football figure. Past speakers at this event include Archie Manning, Bart Starr, Gayle Sayers, and Ron Jaworski, just to name a few.

Professional playing career

Smith was drafted in the second round of the 1976 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks as a running back. As a Seahawk, Smith was called “The Tank” in reference to the Sherman Tank because of his performance to run through tackles.

He was the first offensive player picked by the new expansion team in its first season.

He was the first Seahawk to rush for over 100 yards in a game when he ran for 124 yards against the Atlanta Falcons on November 7, 1976. Smith led the team in rushing in his first four seasons, eventually amassing 3,429 yards and 28 touchdowns in his seven years with the team.

He also caught the ball 210 times for a total of 2,445 yards and 10 touchdowns. He played sparingly for the San Diego Chargers in the 1983 season.

Coaching career

The following year, Smith began teaching and coaching at Redmond Junior High School, then at Redmond High School in the state of Washington.

He became the running back coach at Miami University, his alma mater, in 1990. Between 1992 and 1994, he worked as the tight end and running back coach at the University of Illinois.

In 1995, Smith joined the staff of the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) as running back coach, where he helped mold Eddie George into one of the league’s elite running backs.

The organization promoted Smith in 2006, giving him the title of assistant head coach in addition to his continuing duties as running back coach.

In 2008, Smith left the Titans to join the Washington Redskins as offensive coordinator, reuniting with his former Seahawks teammate, Jim Zorn, who had been named head coach of the Redskins.

In 2019, the Salvation Army provided services in our local area amounting to 52,278 meals to the hungry and provided 7,692 nights shelter to the homeless.