Torrey Smith

Smith was born on January 26, 1989 and grew up with his mother Monica Jenkins in Colonial Beach, Virginia and Fredericksburg, Virginia. The oldest of seven children, Smith helped his single mother, who attended Rappahannock Community College in the day and worked at night, with household chores and earned honor roll grades in school. Smith attended Colonial Beach Elementary School until 3rd grade. Smith went on to Stafford Senior High School, where he played basketball as a guard, and football at several different positions. He enjoys fishing as a pastime.

Smith played on the Stafford Indians football team as a quarterback, running back, wide receiver, cornerback, kickoff returner, and punt returner. In Stafford's 2004 game against King George, Smith opened with a 54-yard kickoff return, played quarterback, and scored on a 63-yard punt return. His coach, Roger Pierce, said, "Torrey can do those type of things for us. We expect him to do those things." During his senior year in 2006, Smith had 155 carries for 815 yards and 12 touchdowns, completed nine of 25 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns, and made three receptions for 81 yards. Over the course of his interscholastic career, Smith returned six kickoffs for touchdowns. He earned all-state kick returner honors as a sophomore, all-district honors as a junior, and honorable mention All-Northwest Region quarterback honors, all-district, and all-area honors as a senior.

In the 26–0 victory over #21 Wake Forest, Smith returned the opening kick 34 yards, and caught two passes for eight yards. Smith made his career first start against NC State and recorded four kickoff returns for 85 yards, which set the school single-season kickoff return yards record for a freshman, surpassing the 566-yard mark set by Da'Rel Scott in 2007. Smith blocked a punt against Virginia Tech, and led the team with 163 all-purpose yards including 62 receiving yards. He recorded one reception for 12 yards against 16th-ranked North Carolina.

In the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl, he returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown against Nevada, which broke the bowl's previous return record of 98 yards. It was also the first time a Maryland player returned a kickoff for a touchdown in a bowl game. At the end of the season, Smith had returned 42 kickoffs for 1,089 yards, which set a new Atlantic Coast Conference single-season record. Smith led the team with 1,425 all-purpose yards, which put him ahead of starting running back Da'Rel Scott who compiled 1,304 yards.

Before the 2009 season, Smith reportedly struggled in Maryland's summer camp, dividing his time between practice and online courses at night. Towards the end of camp, head coach Ralph Friedgen noted an improvement in his performance, which reestablished Smith as the team's top receiver alongside Adrian Cannon.

After the season, the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association named Smith to the All-ACC second team as both a wide receiver and return specialist. Phil Steele's and The Sporting News named him to their All-ACC first teams as a wide receiver. Phil Steele's and Rivals.com named him to their All-ACC second teams as a kick returner. Smith submitted his name to a panel of NFL scouts after the season, which evaluated him as a third- or fourth-round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Upon the conclusion of the regular season, the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association named Smith to the All-ACC first team as a wide receiver. In the 2010 Military Bowl against East Carolina, Smith had two catches for ten yards. Shortly after the game, he declared himself available for the 2011 NFL Draft in order to financially support his family. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said, while he believed Smith could have potentially reached first-round status with another year, he would likely be selected in the second or third round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Smith caught a 26-yard game-winning touchdown against the division rival Steelers on November 6, 2011. On November 20, 2011, Smith made 6 receptions for a Ravens rookie record 165 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals, including a 49-yard touchdown from Joe Flacco.

On September 23, 2012, Smith lost his 19-year-old brother in a motorcycle accident. Tevin Chris Jones was riding on SR 672 in Westmoreland County, Virginia, when he ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a utility pole, according to the Virginia State Police. He was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a helmet, and alcohol was not a factor. The accident is still under investigation. Smith has established a college scholarship fund to assist low-income youth from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia in honor of his late brother.

Smith caught seven passes for 85 yards in Week 2, and five passes for 92 yards in Week 3. He scored his first touchdown of the season in a Week 4 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He finished the game catching five passes for a total of 166 yards, and even had a 74-yard catch. On October 6, 2013, Smith caught six passes for 121 yards in a win against the Miami Dolphins.

In March 2013, Smith worked as an intern for Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, working out of Baltimore. On March 28, 2013, the Ravens picked Smith to represent the team at the Maryland State capital in Annapolis. Smith, along with Ravens' president Dick Cass spoke to the assembled members of the Maryland House of Delegates and then the Maryland State Senate. While a member of the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, Smith was the team's nominee for that year's Walter Payton award for his community involvement.

Smith married his longtime girlfriend, Chanel Williams, on July 11, 2013. The two met at the University of Maryland, where Williams ran track and Smith played football. On September 30, 2013, Smith tweeted that his wife is pregnant. On April 4, 2014, Chanel gave birth to their first child, a son named Torrey "TJ" Jeremiah. Torrey's second son, Kameron James, was born on June 22, 2016. The Smiths' third child, a daughter, named Kori Lynn Smith, was born on December 18, 2018.

On October 26, 2014, Smith caught four passes for 51-yards and two touchdowns, as he helped Joe Flacco set the NFL record for the fastest time to record five touchdown passes (16 minutes and 3 seconds). The Ravens defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48–17. The following week, against the Atlanta Falcons, Smith would score the game-sealing touchdown. With less than two minutes left in the game and facing a fourth down, Flacco threw a pass to Smith, and he caught it in for a 39-yard score. Smith would finish the game with three receptions, 81 yards and the 39 yard touchdown, as the Ravens won 29–7.

During March 2015, Smith sent a letter to the entire city of Baltimore, announcing that he would test free agency. The letter was a goodbye note, which thanked Baltimore, Ravens' fans and the entire Baltimore Ravens organization for starting out his career on such a strong note.

On March 10, 2015, Smith signed a five-year, $40 million contract ($22 million guaranteed) with the San Francisco 49ers. Smith would start alongside former Raven's teammate Anquan Boldin.

In his season-opening debut with the San Francisco 49ers, Smith caught one pass for 11 yards in the 20–3 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. The following game, Smith caught six passes for a season-high 120 receiving yards and a 75-yard touchdown, followed up with a two-point conversion catch during the 49ers 43–18 loss to the Steelers. On September 27, 2015, Smith started his first game of the season, but registered no catches in a 47–7 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The following week, Smith caught two passes for a total of 54-yards, but the 49ers loss to the Green Bay Packers team, losing 17–3.

On October 16, 2016, Smith caught three passes for 76 yards and a 53-yard touchdown during a 45–16 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

On December 11, 2016, Smith suffered a concussion after hitting his head hard on the turf with his helmet on during a 23–17 loss to the New York Jets. He was placed on injured reserve on December 23, 2016.

On March 9, 2017, Smith signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles with second and third-year options at the same salary.

On September 10, 2017, in the season-opening 30–17 victory over the Washington Redskins, Smith made his Eagles debut. On the day, he had one reception for 30 yards. On October 8, 2017, Smith caught a 59-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Carson Wentz, marking his first touchdown as a member of the Eagles. He finished the 34–7 victory over the Arizona Cardinals with three receptions and 70 receiving yards.

On March 9, 2018, the Eagles agreed to trade Smith to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Daryl Worley. The deal became official on March 14, 2018, at the start of the NFL year. He played in 11 games with six starts, recording 17 catches for 190 yards and two touchdowns.

On September 1, 2019, Smith was released by the Panthers.

Smith announced his retirement on September 13, 2019.

In 2019, his hometown, Colonial Beach named a park whose restoration and expansion he had funded in Smith's honor. In 2020, the Library of Virginia announced Smith as one of its Strong Men & Women in Virginia History, based on his continuing philanthropic work.