SMITH TALKS OF LEAVING BUFFALO

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 22, 1992                   TAG: 9201220293
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
SMITH TALKS OF LEAVING BUFFALO
Defensive end Bruce Smith hinted Tuesday that he might leave the Buffalo Bills after the Super Bowl.
Smith, last year's NFL Defensive Player of the Year, said he has been hurt by racist letters he received as he recovered this year from training-camp knee surgery.
"After this particular ballgame, there are going to be some options that I'm going to explore," the former Virginia Tech All-American said. Asked if leaving the Bills is one of them, he added: "It's a good possibility. Too many things have happened that I can't forget."
Smith, who has one year left on a five-year, $7.5 million contract, said he was able to deal with racial insults he received in the mail until he got such a letter at home.
"I can handle what goes on at the stadium, because I try not to bring my job home," he said. "But when I have to go home and get a letter that was sent directly to my house, postmarked in Buffalo, that's a different situation."

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB by Archana Subramaniam by CNB