[News] Steve Smith Tells Ravens This Will Be His Final Season

[RAVENSNAYSHUN]

Hopefully we can send him off with a huge Super Bowl victory parade downtown in February and a 1st class ticket to paradise! Let's go, Ravens!

[Dorota]

It makes me both happy and sad for Steve at the same time. It's always sad to leave behind you something that you have done for so long. On the other hand, he decided to leave while he's still formidable, not by slowly falling into oblivion and finishing as a free agent. My only wish is that he gets his ring and he gets it in purple. Not many deserve it as much as he does.

[mearzunkies]

Wish we had him longer! Smitty is a Raven in every way!

Edited August 10, 2015 by mearzunkies

[RavensFootballFan]

50th Super Bowl. 20th year Ravens anniversary. 15th and final year for #89. I'm getting goose bumps all over again. Am going to cherish watching the Ravens this year, going to be special. Believe! What's Our Name? Play like a Raven. W.I.N. Relentless. TEAM. Here We Are. Embrace The Grind. Humble and Hungry. Fly High. Rise Above. Return To Glory. Now is the time to let the dogs out and bring purple pride back to Baltimore again. Cap it off with SSS to Disney World with his family.  

Edited August 10, 2015 by RavensFootballFan

[allblackraven]

It's not often that player becomes pretty much unanimous fans' players' coaches' and HO's favorite after just one season and so late in his career. I keep thinking what could have been if he became a Raven 5-6 years ago and something tells me, Steve might have thought about that at some point as well.

If we stay mostly healthy, we might just send him off the only way he deserves. What a man and what a player.

[Lightlock]

SSS takes a fiery passion for his game and competitive defiance that every young Raven should learn from. You don't have to break any rules, just get mad, play hard, and show them you are not to be messed with.

[FloridalovesRavens]

We need to send him out the right way with a SB win. Who do you think he will retire as a Panther or Raven? Just wondering because he played so many years with Carolina. Would love to see him in HOF as Raven.

[cobrajet]

I know he was drafted by and spent 13 seasons in Carolina, and no offense to the Panthers but.....he "Plays like a Raven" and when you play like that in Baltimore, you are a Raven for life!

[Hardhitters]

Man I expected 8 more years from this incredible dude lol, thanks for coming to Baltimore in the first place. I just got a Smith Sr. jersey too, I need to get it signed now.

[cbrook1862]

Now we've got no choice but to finish on top.

[LunarRover]

While its incredibly sad that this is his last season as a football player. I cant help but think about what this team would've been like had he been a Raven his whole career. Would've been the perfect compliment to the hard-nose Defense we are known for. He brings to offense the style of emotion and competitiveness that R.Lewis brought to Defense. He is a straight up game-changer type baller and i will miss him and his attitude that he brings and we should be honored to have him want to retire a Raven...and it would be awesome to have him formally retire a RAVEN.

[ALSKAN RAVEN FAN]

It's time to get our third Super Bowl. It's all in.

[hen826957]

Man I'm going to miss Steve Smith. We got to give him a ring we just got to. This is all or nothing guys. Let's get that rare gold Lombardi trophy to our faculty. P.S. I wonder should Steve Smith should've waited to announce his retirement at around the end of season just like Ray Lewis did and gave us extra boost for the playoffs.

[bioLarzen]

Thanks for bringing the Attitude back in the O they lost with guys like Mason and Boldin gone. The guy is obviously a Panther (just like Reed, JJ and Mason always stayed Ravens even when they left for the final season of their careers) - but everything about him was and is truly Raven-built.

[RavenzOz]

Lets get the man the ring he deserves.

 

This also gives the WR corp the incentive and opportunity to step up for the big shoes that SSS will vacate next year, and I reckon they are up for it.  We got a whole bunch of talent there.

Edited August 10, 2015 by RavenzOz

[Bandit666]

Congrats on a great career and thanks for sharing you experience and wisdom with the Ravens. You'll be missed, but never forgotten. Enjoy your retirement and let's get that ring you deserve.

[DomMcRaven]

After watching Pixels, I look at my phone and I get a notification from the Ravens app saying "BREAKING: WR STEVE." When I saw those words, my heart raced because it was going to give me the worst news possible. Then I saw this news. I so hope Smitty goes out on top. He deserves it. What a career. 

[EdTheMythicalOne]

It is time for Steve Smith Sr. to leave all the "Blood and Guts" on the field, to "Ice up, son," one last time, and he felt he should retire because he felt bad for being, "an old man and running around on them like they were high school players."

[stampedehero]

Lets make a tradition when great players plan to retire  then this team wins the SB.

[EvilWayz]

Triple "S" will be missed. You know but all players has a retire date, not sure when they are, but none the less they do. Some may leave sooner than others, and others like Ray Lewis and Steve Smith Sr. plays for 15 and 16 years. This guy is a beast of a wide out and despite his size, he plays the game as if he's 7 feet tall. I sure do hope he gets that piece of jewelry that he deserves. Also glad that he chose to come and spend his last years as a football player here in Baltimore. The receivers we have now, needs to be on this man coat tail trying to soak up every piece of knowledge that Steve Smith Sr. has to offer, if they haven't been already.

 

We will miss you #89, Lets have one hell of a season this season and get to play in Super Bowl 50 before you go. That would be one heck of a way to go out wouldn't it?

[stixfix69]

Like Daryl Smith, wish we could have had both of them for their entire careers.....

[huntrgathrr]

Be nice if he could go out with a ring.....certainly a possibility.

[BallmoreAllDay]

Come on Steve let's get your much deserved ring! I know he hasn't been a Raven long, but it feels like he's always been a Raven. He definitely plays like a Raven and has the heart like a Raven. He's a small guy but he plays/acts like he is one of the biggest guys around. Enjoy your last ride Steve!

[Gorgee3]

This is Steve Smith's season. It's his last ride. Let's make history! Edited August 11, 2015 by Gorgee3

[Postapocalypse Raven]

Definitely gotta take it all the way this year. Once we make it to the post season I can hear the other teams talking trash now about how their going to give SSS an early retirement party just like they tried to do with Ray. And we all know how that ended.

[Fastynart]

Stop me if you have heard this "retirement" song before. Athletes "retire" and unretire all the time. I like Steve Smith a lot. He is a stand up guy so maybe this will be his last season. I just wouldn't bet my paycheck on it just yet.

[picke]

The Ray Lewis of the offense since he has been a Raven; fearless, physical and cerebral. He is not afraid of being a leader, not afraid of injury and not afraid of failure. Teaching and coaching, like he is already doing, maybe in his future - perhaps as a Raven. Let's make this farewell end with a party and a parade.

[picke]

There is no one more deserving to go out on his own terms than Steve Smith, Sr. Undoubtedly, another team (the Patriots) would have picked him up if the Ravens had not signed him. However, he chose us. What an honor it would be for him to retire and enter the HOF as a Raven.

[ravenpic]

I hope he gets his Championship. It is not easy to achieve. Then he retires a Raven after earning it. I expect to see a lot of incidental contact between Steve and his defenders. No WR plays it any better. 

[The Mom Gene]

Stop me if you have heard this "retirement" song before. Athletes "retire" and unretire all the time. I like Steve Smith a lot. He is a stand up guy so maybe this will be his last season. I just wouldn't bet my paycheck on it just yet.

I would.  I don't have any doubts.  He owes this game nothing.  And by the galleries of photos, it's very apparent how much he loves being with his family.  I think after 16 years of football, and a growing family, he's ready.