When Jimmy Smith was going by way of the predraft course of in 2011, he knew NFL groups had some considerations — “orange flags,” he jokingly known as them Monday. Smith had confirmed himself a first-round cornerback over his 5 years at Colorado, however there have been questions on his maturity.
When Smith visited Baltimore, although, the place Ravens officers noticed a prototypical lengthy, athletic nook, he recalled that it was “in all probability identical to being at dwelling.” The Ravens took Smith No. 27 total. Over the subsequent 11 years, it was the one staff he’d play for.
“They knew I used to be immature however needed to develop nonetheless, however they had been prepared to take an opportunity on me,” Smith mentioned. “And that likelihood modified my life, so I’m ceaselessly grateful as a result of I had numerous ups and downs, clearly, as an individual and a participant. They usually caught proper by me. They sort of epitomized loyalty.”
Smith introduced his retirement Monday, ending his NFL profession after greater than a decade in Baltimore. He performed 128 video games for the Ravens, beginning 90, and was instrumental of their Tremendous Bowl XLVII triumph. He completed with 14 interceptions, seventh most in franchise historical past.
Smith, 34, had acknowledged close to the top of final season that his future in soccer was unsure. He was set to develop into a free agent, and accidents had restricted him to only 30 video games from 2019 to 2021. Smith didn’t signal anyplace through the offseason, and he acknowledged Monday that the toll of his profession’s accidents had develop into an excessive amount of of a burden to play by way of.
“I need to be remembered as the kind of participant that I used to be, clearly,” he mentioned. “I do know I went by way of numerous accidents and I wasn’t all the time there to swimsuit up, however I would like them to recollect the kind of participant I used to be once I was on the market, what I delivered to the staff. I imply, I’m a jokester, I prefer to have enjoyable, I prefer to child and be too candid at occasions. However finally, I simply need them to recollect, like: championship!” He flashed his Tremendous Bowl ring.
When wholesome, Smith might be a shutdown outdoors cornerback, with the approach and measurement (6 toes 2) the Ravens have lengthy coveted for his or her aggressive protection schemes. Over Smith’s Ravens tenure, their protection allowed the NFL’s second-fewest yards (326) and third-lowest factors (20.1) per recreation.
Even within the twilight of Smith’s profession, he was among the many staff’s most succesful defenders. Virtually three months into the 2020 season, Professional Soccer Focus graded Smith because the eighth-best all-around nook within the league and the ninth finest in protection — forward of starters Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters.
However accidents quickly sidelined Smith, as they typically did all through his profession. He performed in each recreation in a season simply twice, and after 2015, he by no means made greater than 12 appearances in a yr. Smith handled a sprained ankle, a sports activities hernia, a Lisfranc (foot) fracture, a again harm, a torn Achilles tendon, a sprained knee, a strained groin, a shoulder harm, a strained hip and a strained neck, amongst different illnesses, over his profession.
“Jimmy needed to be on the sector,” coach John Harbaugh mentioned Monday. “He was going to discover a option to get himself on the market, a technique or one other, and proper to the very finish. That’s the factor that you simply all the time appreciated. He was a soccer participant, and soccer gamers need to play soccer. And I used to be comfortable when he was on the market, I can let you know that. Even when he wasn’t 100% on a regular basis, his 80% or 90% was higher than most each different man’s 100%. That claims quite a bit.”
Harbaugh, considered one of Smith’s fiercest advocates in Baltimore, recalled consoling him throughout his second yr and telling him that he would get better from a sports activities hernia in time to play. Harbaugh remembered Smith, annoyed by his ache, telling him, “Simply put me on [injured reserve]! That is ridiculous.” Harbaugh mentioned he informed Smith, “You persist with this, you simply hold pushing by way of this, and by the top of the season, you’re going to make the play that wins us the Tremendous Bowl.”
Within the Tremendous Bowl, Smith stored San Francisco 49ers extensive receiver Michael Crabtree from catching the go-ahead landing cross on a fourth-and-goal play late within the fourth quarter.
“This isn't a lie,” Smith mentioned, joined at his information convention Monday by present Ravens gamers, coaches and officers and former Ravens teammates like working again Ray Rice and Anthony Levine Sr. “I didn't consider him, however this isn't a lie.”
Smith, whose first-ever play as a Raven ended with him struggling a high-ankle sprain, mentioned he was pleased with not solely how lengthy he performed but additionally that he by no means left Baltimore. He felt a loyalty to the franchise, and mentioned Monday, half-jokingly, that he wasn’t positive he needed to retire “till this second precisely proper now.” Smith mentioned he obtained emotional watching the Ravens’ tribute video Monday morning; he already missed the flights again to Baltimore after street wins, and the locker room along with his teammates, and the coaches who’d helped him develop up and develop into a household man.
“The friendship that we had, an opportunity to sort of develop by way of all of the various things that occurred, the great issues, the difficult issues, the loopy issues … [are] what forges these sort of relationships and friendships that make soccer so superb,” Harbaugh mentioned.
“To complete the place you begin is a wonderful factor in skilled sports activities,” normal supervisor Eric DeCosta mentioned. “A variety of guys don’t get the prospect to do it. And I’m very comfortable that Jimmy had the prospect to try this right here as a Baltimore Raven.”
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