A veteran NFL cornerback is retiring from the league. Jimmy Smith, who spent his entire career with the Baltimore Ravens announced his retirement on Monday. He spent 11 seasons with the Ravens and helped the team win the Super Bowl in 2012.
During his press conference, Smith said injuries are the reasons he’s calling it a career. “I’ve been through too many,” Smith said, per the Ravens’ official website. “It was always an uphill climb for me, trying to get back to who I was before. It was a battle early on, and the older you get it becomes tougher. I’m kind of over just having to battle back, constantly.”
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Last season, Smith played in 10 games while making two starts after suffering an ankle sprain in training camp. Along with the injuries Smith said he wants to spend more time with his family. “I’ve got three boys and now a girl,” Smith said last year. “With the boys, they’re old enough I can start getting them into sports. They’re getting active. I’ve got time to figure out stuff long-term. I’m in no rush to get to work or anything. I don’t have to, so that’s a blessing.”
Smith was selected by the Ravens in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Smith played in 12 games with three starts and recorded 20 tackles, two interceptions and eight passes defended. In 2012, Smith played in 11 games with two starts and tallied 30 tackles and three passes defended. And in the Super Bowl that season, Smith notched one tackle and two passes defended in the win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Smith’s best season came in 2013 when he registered 58 tackles, two interceptions, 15 passes defended and three forced fumbles while playing in all 16 regular season games. In his career, Smith played in 128 games with 90 starts and intercepted 14 passes while recording 74 passes defended.
In his press conference, Smith talked about how his dad taught him to never quit no matter how hard things can get. “It was such a lesson for me,” he said. “Playing corner, you’re about to face some dudes that are going to come after you. One thing that my dad instilled in me very young was, no matter how much tougher it gets, you just keep going.”
