Did Kirby Smart play in the NFL? Taking a look at Georgia HC's career

Kirby Smart is one of the most successful head coaches in collegiate sports. Smart has guided numerous players to the NFL via the Georgia Bulldogs pipeline.

Smart was a player before becoming a coach. He played defensive back for the Bulldogs and earned first-team All-SEC honors as a senior.

Did Kirby Smart play in the NFL?

No, Kirby Smart did not play in the NFL. Smart went undrafted in the 1999 draft and was promptly signed by the Indianapolis Colts. However, the former Georgia Bulldogs defensive back was cut ahead of the 1999 season. Smart's involvement with the Colts ended in the preseason before getting the chance to take a regular-season snap.

Following his release from the Colts, Smart joined the Bulldogs as an administrative assistant. He has since coached at Valdosta State, Florida State, LSU and Alabama. He also coached at the Miami Dolphins in the NFL for the 2006 season.

Since 2016, Smart has been the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs. He has coached the program to two national, two SEC and six SEC East Division titles. In terms of personal honors, he has one George Munger Award, three SEC Coach of the Year awards, one Broyles Award and more.

What to expect from Kirby Smart and Georgia in 2024

Smart enters his ninth season as the head coach of the Bulldogs with one goal on his mind: to lead the team to a third national championship. The legendary head coach came all so close in 2023 but was outdone by a superb Alabama Crimson Tide side in the SEC Championship Game.

Expect the Bulldogs to post another dominant regular season. The program has not lost a regular season game since 2021, and they possess one of the most balanced rosters in the nation.

Georgia starts its season with a game against the Clemson Tigers at a neutral location on Aug. 31. The program will end its season against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Sanford Stadium, Georgia, on Nov. 30. Seeing how they perform with the new playoff format will be interesting.