SUPER BOWL XLVIII Malcolm Smith Was Having an Amazing 2013–2014 Season in the NFL

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Malcolm Smith and the Seattle Seahawks

SUPER BOWL XLVIII Malcolm Smith was having an amazing 2013–2014 season in the NFL. The linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks had helped his team reach the SUPER BOWL XLVIII NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers. Late in the game, Malcolm caught an interception in the end zone, sending Seattle SUPER BOWL XLVIII to the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos. Could Malcolm take the next step and win a Super Bowl championship?

Troy Aikman Santonio Holmes Joe Montana and the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers SUPER BOWL XXVII SUPER BOWL XLIII SUPER BOWL XXIV

Tom Brady Dexter Jackson Aaron Rodgers and the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers SUPER BOWL XXXVIII SUPER BOWL XXXVII SUPER BOWL XLV

Drew Brees Eli Manning Malcolm Smith and the New Orleans Saints and the New York Giants and the Seattle Seahawks

SUPER BOWL XLIV SUPER BOWL XLII SUPER BOWL XLVIII Sandler

John Elway Eli Manning Hines Ward and the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers SUPER BOWL XXXIII SUPER BOWL XLVI SUPER BOWL XL

Joe Flacco Peyton Manning Kurt Warner and the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts and the St. Louis Rams SUPER BOWL XLVII SUPER BOWL XLI SUPER BOWL XXXIV

by Michael Sandler [Intentionally Left Blank] by Michael Sandler

Consultant: Charlie Zegers Football Expert and Consultant for Basketball Heroes Making a Difference Credits Cover and Title Page, © Christian Petersen/Getty Images; 4, © Ric Tapia/Icon SMI; 5, © Marcio Jose Sanchez; 6, © John Pyle/Icon SMI; 7, © Richard A. Brightly/ Icon SMI; 8, © Jeff Lewis/Icon SMI; 9, © Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images; 11, © Ric Tapia/Icon SMI; 12, © Zumapress/Icon SMI; 13, © Rich Kane/Icon SMI; 14, © Joshua Weisberg/Icon SMI; 15, © Joshua Weisberg/Icon SMI; 16, © Daniel Gluskoter/Icon SMI; 17, © Ric Tapia/Icon SMI; 18, © Zumapress/Icon SMI; 19, © Ric Tapia/Icon SMI; 20, © Rich Kane/Icon SMI; 21, © Ric Tapia/Icon SMI; 22L, © Zumapress/Icon SMI; 22R, © Jim Dedmon/Icon SMI.

Publisher: Kenn Goin Editor: Jessica Rudolph Creative Director: Spencer Brinker Photo Researcher: Red Line Editorial

Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data

Sandler, Michael, 1965- Malcolm Smith and the Seattle Seahawks : Super Bowl XLVIII / by Michael Sandler. pages cm.—(Super Bowl superstars) Includes bibliographical references and index. Audience: Age: 7-12. ISBN-13: 978-1-62724-295-0 (library binding) ISBN-10: 1-62724-295-3 (library binding) 1. Smith, Malcolm, 1989—Juvenile literature. 2. Football players—United States--Biography— Juvenile literature. 3. Super Bowl (48th : 2014 : East Rutherford, New Jersey)—Juvenile literature. 4. Seattle Seahawks (Football team)—Juvenile literature. I. Title. GV939.S636S26 2015 796.332092—dc23 [B] 2014012051

Copyright © 2015 Bearport Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

For more information, write to Bearport Publishing Company, Inc., 45 West 21st Street, Suite 3B, New York, New York 10010. Printed in the United States of America.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 A Huge Win...... 4 Football Brothers...... 6 The Trojans...... 8 Hard to Swallow...... 10 A New Team...... 12 Playoff Perfection...... 14 Tough to Beat...... 16 An Early Lead...... 18 The Big Play...... 20

Key Players...... 22 Glossary...... 23 Bibliography...... 24 Read More...... 24 Learn More Online...... 24 Index...... 24 A Huge Win

Just 22 seconds were left in the 2013– 2014 NFC Championship Game. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick launched the ball. Deep in the end zone, 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree leaped into the air. If he caught the pass, San Francisco would beat the Seattle Seahawks and move on to Super Bowl XLVIII (48). The Seahawks, however, wouldn’t give up easily. Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman tipped the ball. It fluttered in the air. Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith grabbed it! Thanks to Malcolm’s interception, Seattle would head to the Super Bowl.

Malcolm Smith

4 Malcolm makes an interception during the 2013–2014 NFC Championship Game.

Malcolm’s interception prevented the 49ers from scoring and winning the game. The Seahawks won the NFC Championship Game 23–17.

5 Football Brothers

Malcolm had been to a Super Bowl before but never as a player. In 2008, he was a teenage fan in the stands at Super Bowl XLII (42). He was cheering on his big brother, Steve, who played wide receiver for the New York Giants. As kids, the two brothers were great athletes. They both played on their high school football team in California. Steve’s specialty was offense, but Malcolm could play offense and defense well. Because he could both score and intercept balls, Malcolm had become a star player by his senior year.

Malcolm played on the Taft High School football team in Woodland Hills, California.

6 Steve Smith

Malcolm’s brother, Steve, caught five passes for the New York Giants in their 17–14 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII (42).

7 Lev, Michael. “USC’s Malcolm Smith Tackles Rare Disorder.” Orange County Register (August 19, 2010).

Official Site of the Seattle Seahawks: www.seahawks.com Sondheimer, Eric. “Football: The Pride of Taft High, Malcolm Smith, Is Super Bowl MVP.” Los Angeles Times (February 3, 2014).

Sandler, Michael. John Elway and the Denver Broncos: Super Bowl XXXIII (Super Bowl Superstars). New York: Bearport (2008). The News Tribune, The Olympian. Super Hawks: The Seattle Seahawks’ 2013 Championship Season. Chicago: Triumph (2014).

To learn more about Malcolm Smith, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Super Bowl, visit www.bearportpublishing.com/SuperBowlSuperstars

Avril, Cliff 18, 20 New Orleans Saints 14 University of California, Carroll, Pete 12 New York Giants 6–7 Los Angeles (UCLA) 9 Crabtree, Michael 4 Ramirez, Manny 18 University of Southern California (USC) 8–9, Denver Broncos 16, 18, San Francisco 10, 12 20–21 49ers 4–5, 14 Wilson, Russell 14, 19, Harvin, Percy 22 Sherman, Richard 4, 14, 22 16 Kaepernick, Colin 4 Woodland Hills, Lynch, Marshawn 14, 18 Smith, Steve 6–7, 8 California 6 Manning, Peyton 16–17, Taft High School 6 18, 20

24 [Intentionally Left Blank] Malcolm Smith and the Seattle Seahawks