Isaac Smolko

American football player (born 1983)

Isaac Joseph Smolko (born February 28, 1983) is a former American football tight end. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Penn State. Smolko has also been a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts.

Smolko was a four year letterman at Penn State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology in 2006. He played high school football at Springfield High School in New Middletown, Ohio.

He signed as an undrafted rookie free agent with the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers following the 2006 NFL draft. Despite a productive training camp—including an athletic touchdown catch in Game 1 of the preseason versus the Arizona Cardinals—Smolko was released at the end of the preseason.

He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars prior to the 2007 season. Despite another promising preseason, including a game against the Washington Redskins where he was used in six positions—tight end, fullback, linebacker, defensive end and two positions on special teams—Smolko was released on September 1, 2007. He spent the first 8 weeks of the 2007 season on the practice squad before being activated for the Jaguars' week 9 game against New Orleans. He was waived and re signed to the practice squad until his activation prior to the Jaguars' Week 13 game at Indianapolis. All told, he would see action in 6 games that season. On June 16, 2008, Smolko was waived by the Jaguars before training camp, only to be re signed on August 4, after rookie fullback Anthony Cotrone was placed on the injured reserve list. He was again released on August 26.

Smolko was signed to the practice squad of the Indianapolis Colts on September 11, 2008. He was released on October 2.

Smolko was signed to the practice squad of the Baltimore Ravens on October 29, 2008. He was released on December 4, only to be re signed on December 10. He was re signed to a one year future contract at the conclusion of the 2008 season. He was released on September 5 and re signed to the practice squad. After the Ravens signed tight end Davon Drew to the practice squad he was released on September 15.

Smolko was re signed to the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad on January 6, 2010. He was released on January 27.

Smolko was given the name "Ivan" by his position coach, Mike Tice, during the Jaguars 2007 training camp. The nickname received widespread exposure when head coach Jack Del Rio erroneously referred to Smolko as Ivan during his postgame press conference following the preseason finale. Jaguars. com senior editor Vic Ketchman later took to calling him "Ivan 'Don't Call Me Isaac' Smolko" on the team's website. Smolko and his wife Katie reside in Ponte Vedra, FL. His father Joseph "Buckey" Smolko and mother Marie, as well as sisters Lori and Carrie still reside in his hometown.