As Child, Cardinals' Terrelle Smith Had 27 Other Kids in House

TAMPA, Fla. -- It's no surprise that Terrelle Smith grew up to become a professional football player. When he was a kid, his family was big enough that he could get an 11-on-11 game going, and still have some siblings watching from the sideline.

Smith, the Arizona Cardinals' fullback, grew up with a mother who was a foster parent. And she believed in what she was doing so strongly that she was always willing to add more foster children, even when she got past 20.

"I think the most we had at one time was 22," Smith told reporters today. "That doesn't include her six children."

Smith says that his mom, Sheryll Smith, saw foster parenting as the way to teach her six biological children that they should be thankful for what they have and willing to give to those who have less.

"I never really understood why my mother did it when I was growing up," Smith said. "As I got older, I realized that there are a lot of people on this earth that are less fortunate. For my mom to have open arms and nurture children that weren't even hers was a great experience. They were from all over the country. It was a tremendous experience. It was a different upbringing, but it was very good for me."

Smith says he's taken his mother's lessons to heart, and he thinks he's become the kind of man his mother wanted him to be.

"I had to learn how to share pretty quickly. It was very unique," Smith said. "Growing up the way I did gives you a soft heart and I think the world needs more people like that."

Sheryll Smith told Terrelle in April that she had a dream that he was going to play in the Pro Bowl or the Super Bowl. But she didn't live to see her dream come true: Sheryll died last month after a long battle with breast cancer.

"She was diagnosed in 2005," Smith said. "Our father passed away in 2004 from bone marrow cancer. She was feeling bad after he passed and we figured she was just grieving at first. But as time went on we realized it wasn't that. My sister is a nurse practitioner so she had her go in and get looked at. ... They found out she had a rare form of breast cancer. ... They gave her a short time to live and she managed to live four and a half years. It would be great if she could be here now and see all of this. I know she is looking down on me, but it would be great if she was here."

On Super Bowl Sunday Smith won't have his mom there with him, but he will be able to hear her voice.

"I still have voice-mail messages that she left me on my phone," Smith said. "When I am having a rough day I listen to them. They get me through the day."

Shocking Super Bowl Moments

The Raiders' John Matuszak volunteered to be the unofficial team watchdog and keep everyone in line before Super Bowl XV. One of the nights, the DE was spotted on Bourbon Street in New Orleans at 4AM. He was fined $1,000. The Super Bowl winner's share in those days was $18,000.

Dave Cross, WireImage.com

Packers WR Max McGee was in bed for the 11PM bed check, but then hit the town until stumbling in the lobby at 7:30AM on gameday. McGee went out to catch two touchdowns. Later he said, ''I was in no condition to play a ballgame. I could barely stand up for kickoff."

NFL / WireImage.com

To this day, the Miami Dolphins are the only NFL team ever to pull off a perfect season -- despite Garo Yepremian's best efforts. After a field goal was blocked, the kicker grabbed the ball and tried to pass it to no one, but the Redskins returned it for a score.

Neil Leifer, Sports Illustrated

Cowboys linebacker Thomas ''Hollywood'' Henderson claims to have played in Super Bowl XIII while carrying an inhaler full of cocaine in his uniform. Knowing Hollywood's history of living life in the fast lane during that time, there's little doubt he was telling it straight.

NBC reported five days before Super Bowl IV that Len Dawson would be among several players summoned to testify in a federal gambling probe. How did the QB react? He leads the Chiefs to the win and gets the MVP nod.

Darryl Norenberg / NFL

Super Bowl XIII wasn't very memorable for Hall of Fame tight end Jackie Smith. Down 21-14 to the Steelers, Roger Staubach dropped back and found an open Smith. Smith somehow dropped the ball and Dallas lost by four.

Focus on Sport / Getty Images

Bears quarterback Jim McMahon, who was was never one to hide his opinion of the media and wore a T-shirt that read "Patriots Suck," dropped his pants at the practice field, mooning a helicopter that flew overhead.

Bettmann / Corbis

In one weekend, the Falcons' Eugene Robinson (right) was given the Bart Starr Award (an award marking "high moral character", was arrested for solicitation of a prostitute (was an undercover cop) and burned for an 80-yard TD.

Elise Amendola, AP

Ray Lewis of the Ravens pleaded down from murder charges as the result of a brawl at a post-Super Bowl party in 2000 where two men were killed.

Kim Smith, AFP / Getty Images

Raiders center Barrett Robbins (center) missed Super Bowl XXXVII after he apparently quit taking his depression medication and went on a drinking binge.

Amy Sancetta, AP