DE Will Smith (National Champion, Super Bowl Champion, Pro-bowler; R.I.P.)

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Saints notebook: Position change for Will Smith?
By Brady Aymond ? Louisiana Gannett News ? January 17, 2010

NEW ORLEANS ? It may be a little late in his career, but New Orleans defensive end Will Smith may have to start considering a position change.

For the second time this year, Smith dropped into a soft zone coverage and picked off a pas, giving him two interceptions this year.
His only other career interception came earlier this year against the Buffalo Bills. While Smith entered his 6th season without an interception, he did have 13 career pass deflections.

?I?m going to stick to defensive end,? Smith said with a chuckle.

All laughing aside, though, Smith?s play turned out to be a game-changing play in more ways than one.

It came late in the second quarter with the Saints leading the Cardinals, 28-14. On a second-down play in their own territory, Arizona?s Kurt Warner dropped back to pass and threw the ball right into Smith?s big hands.

Smith hauled in the pass and returned it five yards to set up a short Saints? touchdown drive which put the Saints comfortably ahead 35-14 at the half.

?I knew who he was throwing to because they?d been running those crossing routes,? Smith said. ?I got in his window and he threw it low enough for me to catch it.

?He got hurt on that play, so I guess it was a pretty big play.?

Saints notebook: Position change for Will Smith? | thenewsstar.com | The News Star

 

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New Orleans Saints Defensive End Will Smith press conference transcript
Written by Dave Lawrence (New Orleans Saints)
New Orleans Saints DE Will Smith
Wednesday, January 20, 2010

To what degree would you agree the Minnesota Vikings are the scariest team on paper that you guys have faced all year?

?I wouldn't agree, but I would say they are a pretty good team. They're up there as one of the most talented teams we've played so far. There are a couple of other teams that have been equally talented as those guys.?

Can you talk about facing Brett Favre and just the challenges that your defense will face on Sunday?

?We know he's been playing this game for a long time and brings a lot of experience. I don't think there's going to be anything we can do to him to rattle him. He's just kind of out there playing, having a good time, leaving everything out there. It's going to be tough, but we've got to figure something to slow him down and slow the run attack.?

How much confidence do you have going into it this game given what you guys were able to do to Kurt Warner last week?

?It's a totally different game. Last week we knew they were probably going to throw the ball a lot. This week, this is probably going to be more 50‑50. They'll probably try to establish a run against us early and then open it up with a couple of play‑action passes, try to go deep on us. It's going to be a totally different game from last week. But ultimately the things that we need to do is stop the run early and get after Favre.?

New Orleans Saints Defensive End Will Smith press conference transcript

 

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Big Will with the forced fumble!

 

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Smith, Saints headed to first Super Bowl
By JOHN PITARRESI
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Jan 25, 2010

Will Smith is headed to the Super Bowl.

The former Thomas R. Proctor High School and Ohio State star and his New Orleans Saints are headed to the big game for the first time after a rugged, dramatic, turnover-filled 31-28 overtime victory over the Bret Favre and the Minnesota Vikings in Sunday?s NFC championship game.

Smith, 28, a 6-foot, 3-inch, 282-pound defensive end known for his sacking ability, played a key role in the victory.

He collected six tackles, five unassisted, and forcing a fumble by Percy Harvin that set up a touchdown that gave the Saints the lead briefly at 28-21 in the fourth quarter. Smith also had a big play last week, when he picked off a pass by the Arizona Cardinals? Kurt Warner in a divisional playoff victory.

Now, the sixth-year pro, a member of the Pro Football Weekly all-rookie team in 2004 and an All-Pro in 2006, will get a chance to play against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl. The game will be played Feb. 7 in Sun Life Stadium in Miami.

Smith?s journey to Super Bowl began at Proctor, where he had an outstanding career and was named the 1998 Observer-Dispatch Player of the Year. He went on to Ohio State, was a member of the Buckeyes? 2002 national championship team, and was a first-team All-American and the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2003.

Smith was taken by the Saints with the 18th pick in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft. He has had 49.5 sacks in his career, including 13 this season.

Smith, Saints headed to first Super Bowl - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch

 

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...Utica's Smith eyes bigger trophy after NFC title win
By RON MOSHIER
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Jan 25, 2010

The Associated Press.Will Smith, former standout player at Thomas R. Proctor High School and Ohio State, helped his New Orleans Saints land a spot in the Super Bowl.

Helping the New Orleans Saints reach the Super Bowl for the first time is one thing.

The morning after doing that, Utica's Will Smith couldn't help but look forward to a Feb. 7 trip to Miami and helping his Saints take their best Super Bowl XLIV shot at the Indianapolis Colts.

?You work your whole NFL career to get yourself in the big game, you put everything into it,? Smith said after helping the Saints to a 31-28 overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings in Sunday's NFC Championship Game.

?To finally get that chance, to finally get there is a great feeling. But at the same time, it's like, 'Now that we're here, we've got to win the thing.'?

In his sixth NFL season, Smith, a starting defensive end and team captain, has helped the Saints ?get there? for the first time in franchise history.

The former Thomas R. Proctor High School and Ohio State University star made his presence felt again Sunday, too, making six tackles and forcing a fourth-quarter fumble that New Orleans (15-3) converted into a touchdown and a 28-21 lead.

He also helped the Saints' defense rough up quarterback Brett Favre, who threw his second interception in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter. Favre was never sacked, but he was harassed and hit much of the night, and the Vikings had five turnovers, including three lost fumbles.

?All we heard all week was that Minnesota had the better defense, but I think we played better than they did,? said Smith, who leads the Saints with a career-high 13 sacks. ?We don't care if we get a sack. If you can hit the quarterback and impact the game the way we did, that's just as big if not bigger than a sack.

?Just get after (Favre) - that was the whole focal point. We wanted to change it up, mix up the blitzes and keep him off balance. We wanted to confuse the offensive line and hit Favre.?

Utica's Smith eyes bigger trophy after NFC title win - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch

 

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David J. Phillip | Associated Press

Title track
Former Ohio State player Will Smith hopes to win national championship seven years after his first -- this time in Super Bowl
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
By Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A super season

The season numbers for Will Smith, New Orleans defensive end out of Ohio State, heading into the Super Bowl on Sunday:

* Sacks: 13 (career high)
* Tackles: 56
* Forced fumbles: 4
* Interceptions: 2

Ohio State fans are plenty aware that Will Smith has played for a big title before, even if it was the junior version, the national championship victory over the University of Miami in January 2003.

"But the Super Bowl? You've been knowing about it since you were a little kid, watching it on TV every year, and all the buildup to it," said Smith, a defensive end in his sixth season with the New Orleans Saints. "Then when you actually find yourself in the NFL, making it to the Super Bowl is something you dream about, being on a good-enough team that can actually get there."

But simply playing in Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts is not the goal, Smith said.

"The biggest thing is winning a Super Bowl," Smith said. "Yeah, it's cool now that we've made it, but it would suck if we go out there and don't win it."

Title track | BuckeyeXtra

 

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Former Proctor star steps into spotlight in NFL's biggest game
By RON MOSHIER
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Feb 04, 2010

Michael C. Hebert/New Orleans Saints

When he was a Utica teenager growing up in Cornhill, Will Smith was bigger and faster than most.

But that wasn?t all that set him apart.

?A lot of people are talented, it?s what you decide to do with it,? said Paul Filletti, Thomas R. Proctor High School assistant football coach. ?Will took that talent and ran with it.

?That?s what has gotten him where he is now,? he added.

It?s what has taken the former Proctor star from South Street in Utica to the National Football League, and now, all the way to Super Bowl XLIV.

On Sunday night, New Orleans Saints starting defensive end and team captain Smith will become the first player from the Mohawk Valley to play in the Super Bowl when his Saints meet the Indianapolis Colts in Miami.

A win by the underdog Saints and the 28-year-old Smith would make him and Utica Senior Academy graduate Ernest Jones, a member of the Super Bowl XXXII champion Denver Broncos who was injured and did not play in their 31-24 win over the Green Bay Packers, the only area players with Super Bowl rings.

?Just to be in the game, just to have this opportunity is huge,? Smith said. ?It?s kind of what defines your career. You look at the guys who were great players who never got the chance to play in a Super Bowl.

?I know not everybody gets this opportunity. When it does happen, you want to make the most of it.?

That?s just what his late grandmother would want to hear.

His mother, Lisa, died of breast cancer when he was 4. His grandmother Nancy Smith later moved Will and sister Chantay from Queens to Utica in 1991.

It was a strong-willed and spirited Nancy Smith who raised them, and made sure they weren?t hanging out in the streets. ?That was a no-no,? she said back in 2004, a few days before the Saints made her grandson ? an AP All-America at Ohio State University ? their first-round pick, No. 18 overall, in the NFL Draft.

Former Proctor star steps into spotlight in NFL's biggest game - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch

...Saints star still just 'a regular guy'
By RON MOSHIER
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Feb 04, 2010

UTICA ? UTICA ? Will Smith, of course, is even bigger and even better than he was when high school football teams were trying their best to run away from him.

He?s a lot richer, too.

But his former Thomas R. Proctor High School coaches insist the success he?s enjoyed in six NFL seasons with the Super Bowl-bound New Orleans Saints and the millions he?s making have not changed him.

?Not at all,? said Guy Puleo, Smith?s head coach for three varsity seasons at Proctor. ?He?s so down to earth, you would never know that he?s a superstar and a millionaire, or even that he plays in the NFL.

?I don?t know any other NFL player, so I can only compare the Will I knew back then to who Will is now. But there?s really not much difference. I mean, he?s still a regular guy.?

Saints star still just 'a regular guy' - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch

 

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Saints' Smith in a constant rush .Photos
Posted Feb. 05, 2010
By Mike Wilkening

MIAMI ? Don't get Saints DE Will Smith wrong; he wanted to be watching, not playing, in the Pro Bowl. And no, this is not another rant against the Pro Bowl, moved up two weeks on the NFL calendar and from Honolulu to South Florida this season and greeted with little enthusiasm by some players.

Would Smith have been named to the NFC squad, he would have been a spectator, for the Super Bowl participants sat out of this season's Pro Bowl. But Smith, despite finishing second in the NFC in sacks in 2009, didn't get voted into the NFL's all-star game. It was just his luck to have a career year in a conference with the Vikings' Jared Allen, the Eagles' Trent Cole and the Panthers' Julius Peppers all putting together wonderful seasons, too. Still, the snub stung all the same.

"Yes, it was very disappointing," Smith said. "I thought I was one of the best defensive ends in the league, but unfortunately, I wasn't voted in, for some particular reason.

"It was disappointing, but at the end of the day, I didn't expect to play in it anyway. I expected to be in the Super Bowl, and that's what happened."

ProFootballWeekly.com - Saints' Smith in a constant rush

 

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.....Saints' Smith lone one from OSU title team to make Super Bowl
By Steve Doerschuk
CantonRep.com staff writer
Posted Feb 07, 2010

AP file photo
New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith had 13 quarterback sacks this season, hoping for more success today against Indianapolis Colts? Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl.

MIAMI ? On the opponent?s first play of the 2002-03 national championship game, Will Smith announced Ohio State?s rude intentions with a sack.

Seven years and 29 days later, Smith will become the first Buckeye who played in that all-the-marbles college game to suit up in a Super Bowl.

?I guess when you think about it,? the Saints? 28-year-old sack master said this week, ?I am.

?To be honest, I hadn?t thought about it until you brought it up.?

It would be way too much to think about for such a key man ? Smith had 13 sacks in the regular season ? whose mind is full of disrupting Peyton Manning.

27 BUCKEYES WENT PRO

After all, 27 members of Ohio State?s national championship roster ? the Buckeyes outlasted Miami (Fla.) in double overtime, 31-24 ? wound up as NFL draft picks.

Mike Doss, a captain on Ohio State?s 2002 team, was with the Colts when they won a Super Bowl three years ago, but he was on injured reserve and didn?t play.

?Santonio Holmes was on the 2002 team,? Smith said, ?but he didn?t play. So I guess if you talk about guys who played and will play in a Super Bowl, I?m the first one.?

Holmes was MVP of last year?s Super Bowl after catching a last-second touchdown pass to lift Pittsburgh past Arizona. He was a red-shirt OSU freshman in 2002.

Smith set the tone for Ohio State?s first national championship since 1968 with that first-play sack of Miami?s Ken Dorsey on Jan. 4, 2003. Willis McGahee was buried three yards behind the line on the second play. Kenny Peterson sacked Dorsey again on the third play.

?That day is definitely a good memory,? Smith said. ?The sacks ... you remember them all. I remember that one against Dorsey. I remember the one that helped get us to that game, against Michigan.

Saints' Smith lone one from OSU title team to make Super Bowl - Canton, OH - CantonRep.com

Smith quietly shines for Saints
Glenn Guilbeau ? [email protected] ? February 7, 2010

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. ? One of the biggest stories of Super Bowl week has been the injury to Indianapolis defensive end Dwight Freeney as he is one of the NFL's most dangerous pass rushers with 13.5 sacks in the regular season for third in the league.

Before the Saints played Minnesota in the NFC Championship Game, a major story centered on how the Saints offensive line would be able to contain Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, who finished second in the 2009 regular season with 14.5 sacks.

It seems to be an unknown in some NFL circles and among many fans, but Saints defensive end Will Smith finished fifth in the NFL in the regular season with a career-high 13 sacks. The Saints finished 13th in the NFL with 35 sacks. Only now in the postseason are the Saints starting to be known as a strong pass rushing team, and much of that is notoriety because of some late hits on Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre in the NFC title game and a $20,000 fine against defensive end Bobby McCray.

"I don't know, that's a good question," Smith said. "Maybe we weren't statistically up there among the leaders. Yeah, I was, but for whatever reason, nobody really paid us much attention. But that was fine with us. I don't understand why everybody all of a sudden thinks we're just now pressuring the quarterback. We've been doing it all season."

Smith quietly shines for Saints | dailyworld.com | Daily World

 

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Pulling for will to have a big game tonight.

 

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Smith adds Super Bowl to resume
By RON MOSHIER
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Feb 07, 2010

Utica's Will Smith is a champion again - this time, a Super Bowl champion.

Smith, the former Thomas R. Proctor High School standout who starred for an unbeaten Ohio State University team that won a national championship seven years ago, helped the New Orleans Saints make franchise history Sunday night with a 31-17 victory over the favored Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV in Miami.

?Wow, another championship for Will!? former Proctor teammate Penny Semaia said from his Pittsburgh home. ?An NCAA champion, now a Super Bowl champion, and he's always been a champion off the field, too.

?I couldn't be any prouder. Will's always been a man amongst boys, and now he's a Super Bowl champion.?

Two of Smith's Proctor coaches - former head coach Guy Puleo and line coach Paul Filletti - were at Sun Life Stadium to see the former Proctor Raider do it, too.

And it's a super moment neither one will forget.

?I'm just so happy for Will,? Puleo said late Sunday night as he left the stadium, hoping to eventually meet up with Smith before returning to his hotel room. ?I've got a lot of different feelings right now - shock, excitement, joy - it's just amazing. ?

?For Will, it's tremendous. It says a lot about him. We all know how hard he's worked for this, to get to this level. Hopefully, this says a lot about our area and Utica in particular. This is great for all of us. Now, we finally have something positive to talk about - not only now, but for a long time to come - knowing we have a Super Bowl champion.?

Ernest Jones, who graduated from Utica Senior Academy and starred at the University of Oregon, also won a Super Bowl XXXII ring with the Denver Broncos, but injuries prevented him from playing in the Super Bowl.

Smith, 28, is a former first-round draft pick who has played all six NFL seasons with the Saints.

As one of their team captains, he was at midfield for Sunday's pre-game coin toss. And although he was credited with only one solo tackle, as usual, the 282-pound defensive end made his presence felt.

Smith pressured Colts quarterback Peyton Manning a few times, and he made the key block on Manning near midfield that sprung teammate Tracy Porter for the game-changing, 74-yard interception return that gave the Saints a 31-17 lead with 3:12 left to play.

?Will got a couple hits on Peyton and he made a big block on that interception return,? Filletti said from outside the stadium. ?Will's not on the stat sheet for making 10 tackles - they threw the ball a lot and he got double-teamed -- but he made an impact. And you're going to see him make that block on that play on Super Bowl replays for a long time.?

Smith adds Super Bowl to resume - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch

 

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Council deems Saints? Smith a role model
By DAN MINER
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Feb 17, 2010

UTICA ? Will Smith, a New Orleans Saints defensive end and Thomas R. Proctor High School graduate, continues to gain accolades around the region.

Smith, whose team won the recent Super Bowl over the Indianapolis Colts, was honored with a resolution at Wednesday?s Common Council meeting for his athletic feats and contributions to the Mohawk Valley.

?Having a local resident reach to the level that Will Smith has done and in such an exemplary way, he?s certainly a role model for all of our citizens,? said Councilman Frank Vescera, D-1, who sponsored the resolution.

Smith went on from Proctor to Ohio State University, where he was a three-year starter and won a national championship as a junior.

As a Saint, he was named to the Pro Bowl in 2006 and had a career-high in sacks this year with 13, good for fifth in the league.

Council deems Saints’ Smith a role model - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch

 

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Will Smith says Super Bowl championship hasn't changed him
By RON MOSHIER
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Apr 02, 2010

Michael C. Hebert/New Orleans Saints
Will Smith is in town this weekend for his nonprofit's organization's second annual ?Evening of All-Stars.?

Super Bowl champion Will Smith, the former Thomas R. Proctor High School star from Utica who helped the New Orleans Saints make history with their 31-17 victory over the favored Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV, returns today for his nonprofit's organization's second annual ?Evening of All-Stars.?

Smith, a six-year NFL veteran at defensive end and one of the Saints' captains, and his ?Where There's A Will, There's A Way? foundation will be honoring the Observer-Dispatch's All-Mohawk Valley Football Team during tonight's dinner at Daniele's Banquet Facility in New Hartford.

Doug Marrone, the head coach of Syracuse University's football team and a former Saints assistant, and former Proctor and University of Pittsburgh lineman Penny Semaia will be the guest speakers.

This will be Smith's first appearance here since the former first-round draft choice helped New Orleans capture its first Super Bowl title Feb. 7 in Miami. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente also has proclaimed today as ?Will Smith Day? in Oneida County.

Question: How has your life changed since winning the Super Bowl?

Answer: It hasn't changed me as a person; I'm still the same guy. I definitely have a bigger fan base now, a bigger following. More people see you and recognize you. That's a good thing, people recognizing what you've accomplished.

Q: When did you first feel like your Super Bowl dream could become a dream come true?

A: A few years ago, when we lost to the Bears (in the NFC Championship Game). That's when I realized how hard it is to get to a Super Bowl. That's when I started to think 'I've got to get to that game - not only get to it, but win it.'

Q: What was the Super Bowl experience leading up to the game like?

A: It was amazing. Everybody was overwhelmed. The glitz, the glamour, it was everything. There were a lot of memorable moments the whole week.

Q: After starring at Proctor and helping an unbeaten Ohio State team win an NCAA National Championship, what does winning a Super Bowl mean to you?

A: What you'll always remember is, 'We pulled it off.' Now, having time to sit back and reflect on it, winning a National Championship and now I've won a Super Bowl. ? You just get overwhelmed. You don't really think about it until you get there, and then you win the Super Bowl and it's like you've been hit with a sledge hammer. Guys like me and Devery (Henderson) and (Jon) Stinchcomb, guys who have been here a while, we've been through the ups and downs and now, we're on top of the hill. We've all had our struggles; it's just a good feeling knowing that it all paid off and we won it.

Will Smith says Super Bowl championship hasn't changed him - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch

 

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SU's Marrone holds Will Smith in high esteem
By JOHN PITARRESI
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Apr 03, 2010

NEW HARTFORD ?

Doug Marrone wasn?t going to miss this.

He wasn?t going to disappoint Will Smith.

The Syracuse University football coach knows the former Thomas R. Proctor High School star, Ohio State All-American, and New Orleans Saint Super Bowl champion very well. He was more than eager to be the guest speaker at Smith?s second annual Where There?s a Will There?s a Way Foundation All-Star banquet.

?I love Will Smith,? said Marrone, the Saints? offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for three seasons before being named to lead his alma mater last year. ?When I got the phone call to come and do this, it was a no-brainer. I have nothing but respect for Will Smith.?

The dinner, which celebrates the All-Mohawk Valley football team selected by the Observer-Dispatch?s Ron Moshier, drew more than 300 to Danielle?s Banquet Specialists.

The crowd included 30 players from 14 high schools, including co-players of the year Joe Carcone and Anthony Acevedo of New Hartford and coach of the year Tom Schoen of Whitesboro.

Penny Semaia, Smith?s former Proctor teammate and University of Pittsburgh lineman who is the Career and Life Skills Coordinator for Panther athletes, also spoke. Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito (D ? Rome) and Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente presented Smith with proclamations, and Congressman Michael Arcuri (D ? Utica) sent one, as well, along with additional ones for each player.

Smith, a veteran of six seasons with the Saints, has remained close to the Utica area, and the banquet is one of several of his local initiatives. He also sponsors a punt, pass, and kick competition for youngsters, and a skills and drills camp for junior varsity and varsity players.

The 6-foot-3, 282-pound Smith had a career-high 13 sacks last season and several big plays in the playoffs. Those included an interception of Kurt Warner in New Orleans? divisional playoff win over the Arizona Cardinals, six tackles and forced fumble in the NFC Championship win over the Minnesota Vikings, and a memorable block on NFL MVP Peyton Manning on Tracy Porter?s interception return for a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

Smith, who also played basketball and ran track at Proctor, made sure to shake the hand of every player in attendance before the dinner ? ?To see if they had any questions? ? and just let them know who he was.

?We want to help kids moving forward,? Smith said. ?I?ve been blessed to have a lot of people help me.?

SU's Marrone holds Will Smith in high esteem - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch

 

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Minnesota Vikings players asking judge to extend injunction against suspensions
By James Varney, The Times-Picayune
May 06, 2010

A state judge in Minnesota ruled Thursday that the NFL can suspend two Vikings players, and by extension the decision affects New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith.

Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune
New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith's suspension status likely will be determined by the decision of the judge in the Minnesota Vikings' Pat and Kevin Williams' case.

All three were among a group of five players suspended for four games after they tested positive in 2008 for bumetanide, a banned substance the players insist they inadvertently consumed through StarCaps, an over-the-counter weight loss product. The courts have thus far ruled in the league's favor twice.

It is not clear, however, that the suspensions will take effect this fall. The players, Vikings defensive linemen Kevin Williams and Pat Williams, vowed to appeal -- and late Thursday they again appeared before Hennepin County District Judge Gary Larson asking him to extend an injunction against the suspensions that has stood while the legal challenges unfold.

Larson is expected to rule on the injunction in two weeks.

Smith is not a party to the lawsuit, but, in the interest of fairness given the nearly identical situations, the NFL has kept his status on par with the Williams as the court challenge unfolds.

Minnesota Vikings players asking judge to extend injunction against suspensions | - NOLA.com