James Robert "Bob" Smith (August 20, 1925 – March 1, 2002) was an American football defensive back, halfback and punter. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions from 1949 to 1954. He played for NFL championship teams in Detroit in 1952 and 1953 and was selected as a first-team All Pro after the 1952 season. He also played in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) for the Buffalo Bills (1948), Brooklyn Dodgers (1948), and Chicago Hornets (1949). Smith played college football for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (1943, 1945), the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks (1944), and the Iowa Hawkeyes (1946–1947).