Danny Smith is known for chewing gum with the intensity of a jackhammer.
Smith chomping on a mouthful of Double Bubble has become his calling card in 12 seasons as Pittsburgh Steelers special teams coach.
It also cost him several teeth during a game last season.
“I had three teeth in my pocket in a game,” Smith revealed Thursday. “It was in the gum. When they break off and fall out, they’re in the gum, so I just take them out and put them in my pocket and go see the dentist when I can.”
Since it happened when the Steelers were on the road, Smith had to return home with those digits still in his pocket. His dentist didn’t reinsert them until a few days later.
It’s a hazard of a ritual that Smith has no thoughts of discontinuing, which is why TV cameras again caught him chewing away last Sunday night in the Steelers’ 37-15 victory against the New York Jets.
“It’s become a concentration thing now,” he said. “I get packages. If we win, I’ll eat that package. If we lose, throw that (stuff) away.”
Smith has been enjoying the spoils provided to him from gum distributors given that the Steelers are off to a 5-2 start and will take a two-game winning streak into their game Monday night against the New York Giants.
And Smith has gotten his fair share of TV time lately thanks to the proficiency of his block units. Steelers special teamers have blocked a kick in each of the past three games. Isaiah Loudermilk blocked a field goal against Dallas, Jeremiah Moon swatted back a punt at Las Vegas and Dean Lowry got his hand on a field goal try against the Jets. And that doesn’t count Minkah Fitzpatrick’s blocked extra point that was incorrectly overturned because of a leverage penalty.
“It’s a process,” Smith said. “It’s maybe finding something or being strong at something or finding a weakness. There’s a thought process and development of a skill set. We’re on a roll now, and that breeds success because of that confidence.
“We’re heading in a good direction.”
Smith wants any credit directed toward his players.
“There are weeks that go on and I call it, call it, call it and all of sudden we get one and it’s ‘Danny, great call,’ ” Smith said, laughing. “I’ve been calling the damn thing for six weeks. We believe in it, the players have bought into it and I’m happy.”
A few weeks shy of his 70th birthday, Smith has been coaching in the NFL — mostly on special teams — for 30 seasons. He was in charge of special teams units in Philadelphia, Buffalo and Washington — he also coached tight ends for two seasons in Detroit — before joining the Steelers in 2013.
He remains as enthusiastic about his job as ever, and he attributes it to the importance coach Mike Tomlin puts on the special teams units.
“I only want to work where it’s important,” he said. “There are some places it’s not as important. It’s becoming more important throughout the league.”
Smith takes satisfaction when decorated veterans such as Cameron Heyward and Fitzpatrick lobby to play for his unit. In the way newcomers such as Lowry and Moon integrate themselves into units that include All-Pro special teams player Miles Killebrew. In the enthusiasm his players show when they block a kick or down a punt inside the 10-yard line.
“It’s these guys, it really is,” he said.
Smith paused to compose himself as his eyes welled up and his voice cracked.
“They work their (butt) off for me. They do. They really do, and that ain’t easy and that doesn’t happen everywhere. I’ve been different places and seen different setups and cultures. These guys are special, they really are. I just love being around these guys. I love it. I truly love it.”
The feeling is mutual. After Lowry blocked Greg Zuerlein’s field-goal attempt Sunday night, Smith was swarmed by Mark Robinson, Rodney Williams and Jonathan Ward — players who rarely see the field aside from special teams.
“There are things I challenge them on in meetings over the course of the week, and that was a reaction to those challenges,” Smith said. “I’m going to start running to the locker room because they’re beating the hell out of me.”