Baltimore Ravens receiver Steve Smith announced that the team’s Week 17 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals will probably be his last game. He’s “89 percent sure” of it.
Steve Smith is ‘89 percent sure’ that this week will be his last NFL game
One of the greatest receivers of all-time is hanging the cleats up. Maybe.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The 37-year-old has been a model of consistency over his 16-year career. He was drafted out of the University of Utah in 2001 by the Carolina Panthers and played 13 seasons in Carolina.
Smith was selected to the Pro-Bowl five times during his tenure with the Panthers. He was also named a first-team All-Pro player in 2001 and 2005, and was the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2005.
Carolina released the veteran receiver in 2014, and he quickly signed with the Ravens. Smith continued to play at a high level once he left Carolina. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco loved throwing to Smith. Whenever the team needed a big play, the veteran quarterback always looked in Smith’s direction.
Smith said he is “pretty sure I know what I want to do.”
“I’ve got great support from my family, my wife supports me whichever way I want to go. My boys want me to still play, but there’s a little girl, my baby who wants her daddy,” Smith said.
“Football is a conduit, something that gives you a platform, good and bad, but it gives you an opportunity. Football has given me more than I probably could give football back ... This is probably my last game.”
During his first season with the Ravens, he caught 79 passes for 1,065 yards and six touchdowns.
Prior to last season, Smith said he would retire once the season ended, regardless of where the Ravens finished.
”I feel like this is the best place, if this is going to be the end, this will be the best place to end,” Smith said.
Smith tore his Achilles midway through the 2015 season and decided to return for 2016.
Throughout his entire career, the veteran receiver has loved to talk trash to opponents. But when Baltimore faced Washington this season, Smith did not say anything bad about his former teammate, Josh Norman.
Norman is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, and Smith wondered why the veteran defensive back wanted to match up against him.
So far this season, Smith has 67 catches for 765 yards and five touchdowns. His career numbers are 1,028 receptions for 14,697 yards and 81 touchdowns.
Even though he was a small receiver by NFL standards, his career was a huge success. He will go down as one of the greatest receivers of all-time.
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