Steve Smith announces he will retire after 2015-16 season

“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 to the media on Monday.

Smith will retire having played for just two teams, the Panthers and Ravens. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft and was a dominant receiver there for a long time. Last season, he joined the Ravens and immediately became their top receiver. The Ravens aren’t far removed from competing in a Super Bowl and Smith is hoping they’re there once again in 2015.

“It’s always easier when you have a finish line,” Smith said. “We have a great team.”

The veteran receiver said that, at his age, reporters often ask him when he’s going to retire and how much longer he wants to play, and he wanted to have a goal in front of him. He said that he needed to go home and be a dad.

Smith was named a first-team All-Pro player in 2001 and 2005, and was named to the second team in 2008. He’s been named to five Pro Bowls and was the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2005, when he had 1,563 yards and 12 touchdowns a season after playing in just one game. There’s no Super Bowl ring on his finger, but he’s done plenty on his own and has another chance to try and snare one this season.

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