The quarterback sack is the most devastating weapon for a defensive football team. The best at getting to the quarterback in the history of the American Football Conference (AFC) is defensive lineman Bruce Smith of the Buffalo Bills. Smith was one of the main reasons the Bills won four straight AFC championships (1990-93), and he continues to shine as an All-Pro after 13 grueling National Football League (NFL) seasons. A marked man by opposing offenses, Smith has one goal: to be the best defensive lineman in NFL history.

Growing up

Role models

Bruce Bernard Smith was born June 18, 1963, in Norfolk, Virginia. He was the youngest of three children. His father, George, was a shipping clerk and a truck driver. His mother, Annie, worked at a variety of jobs, including driving a city bus. "I've been trying to make her quit driving the bus, but she won't," Smith related in...